Chicago Cubs @ Miami Marlins – Series Preview (September 4-6): Overview, Game and Broadcast Info, Starting Pitchers, W2W4
The Cubs (79-62) managed to split their series with the first-place Brewers at Wrigley Field this week to stay near the top Wild Card spot. With the division largely decided barring a massive Milwaukee collapse, the focus can shift to securing home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs and trying to stabilize the shaky bullpen. They now begin a road trip with a three-game set against the Marlins starting Friday night.
Miami (71-70) is significantly improved in 2026, hovering around the .500 mark and the fringe of the playoff race. They have a very young roster and are definitely on the upswing heading into the next couple of seasons.
The Fish don’t have a very powerful offense, but they can get on base with a .326 team OBP that is sixth in MLB. Shortstop Otto Lopez is one of the top hitters in baseball, ranking seventh in batting average (.302), sixth in bWAR (5.6) and fifth in fWAR (4.8). Outfielder Heriberto Hernandez leads the way with 23 homers, and designated hitter Griffin Conine has been productive as well.
The Marlins pitching has been pretty good this season with a 3.96 team ERA that sits 11th in MLB. The Cubs will miss the top two starters, but the entire unit is pretty solid with a 3.93 mark that ranks ninth. Tyler Phillips has been very effective as a swingman in the rotation with a 3.43 ERA in 110.1 innings.
The bullpen is currently missing closer Pete Fairbanks and top setup guy Anthony Bender, which significantly weakens a group that counts Calvin Faucher and John King as two of the better arms currently available.
The Cubs have historically had issues playing at loanDepot Park, so this probably won’t be an easy series. The North Siders just need to get back in a winning groove after a rough couple weeks, especially with the finish line rapidly approaching.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Friday, September 4 at 6:15pm CT on Marquee.
- Saturday, September 5 at 3:10pm CT on Marquee.
- Sunday, September 6 at 12:40pm CT on Marquee.
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | ERA | W/L | FIP | K/BB |
| 9/4 | Shōta Imanaga | 33 | L | 4.01 | 8-10 | 4.80 | 4.23 |
| Janson Junk | 30 | R | 4.11 | 6-8 | 4.15 | 2.50 | |
| 9/5 | Clay Holmes | 33 | R | 2.09 | 6-6 | 3.22 | 2.33 |
| Ryan Gusto | 27 | R | 3.86 | 1-3 | 4.01 | 2.85 | |
| 9/6 | Matthew Boyd | 35 | L | 4.05 | 8-3 | 4.57 | 2.55 |
| Tyler Phillips | 28 | R | 3.43 | 4-6 | 4.47 | 1.91 |
What to Watch For
- Alex Bregman had a huge series against the Brewers with seven hits, including four home runs.
- Tyrone Taylor had six hits and six RBI against Milwaukee pitching.
- Imanaga has allowed eight home runs in his last four starts.
- Carson Kelly has six hits in his last four games.
