Cubs Round Two, Kingham v Hamels, Lineup & Notes

Today: It's a 7:05 start with the game broadcast by AT&T SportsNet and 93.7 The Fan. There's a chance for a thunderstorm around gametime and for another later in the evening with showers possible any time during the match.

Pitchers: LHP Cole Hamels (5-9, 4.72) closes the set against RHP Nick Kingham (5-5, 4.80). Nick is trying to prove that he deserves a rotation spot; after taking a pounding in his last outing, he'll need to show some big bounce-back tonight. His major issue has been the long ball; he's given up 13 in 60 IP, an average of two per game. The King is 0-2/3.75 v Chicago this year, giving up five runs on 12 hits in 12 innings. The Cubs are betting that Hamels, 35, regains his mojo by leaving Arlington's bandbox Globe Life Park where he was tortured this year; he put up a 6.41 ERA at home and a 2.93 ERA on the road. His fastball has been getting spanked, although he's had good success with his cutter and curve. He's 3-3/2.93 against the Pirates lifetime, but hasn't seen them since 2016.

Nick in the classic rookie-grizzled vet showdown (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: Jordan Luplow LF, Starling Marte CF, Gregory Polanco RF, David Freese 3B, Fran Cervelli C, Jose Osuna 1B, S-Rod 2B, Jordy SS & Kingham P. Hmmmm, wonder what's up with J-Hay? Also it's the first time Cervy has caught back-to-back games since coming off the DL, so that's a good sign.

Notes:

• Chris Archer (#24) arrived in Pittsburgh today. While it's his day to pitch, his Pirates debut will be Friday (Clint is pushing everyone back a day for the time being) against the Cards to give him a chance to settle in some with the team and his catchers. Keone Kela (#35) will also join the team then. The Bucs added $2.2M or so in salary for the rest of the year by picking up the pair.
• More bad news on Jung-Ho Kang; he was pulled from rehab and will be examined again after his sore wrist began acting up.
• The Pirates have won 16-of-20; the Cubs have lost 5-of-8. Going into tonight, The Bucs are 56-52, three games behind Arizona for the second Wild Card spot and six games behind the Cubs in the division.
• Per Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs, the Pirates traded three of the top nine prospects to change hands during the deadline season. 
• Tampa is throwing Tyler Glasnow right into the fire. He'll make his Tampa Bay debut today, scheduled as an "opener" starter who's expected to go just a few innings and get through the lineup once or twice. Austin Meadows is going to AAA to play regularly, and conveniently allow his Super Two status to lapse. It's not just the Pirates.
• P Brandon Cumpton, who worked for the Bucs in 2013-14 and then had TJ surgery, is back in the show for the first time since then. Toronto called him up today.
• Jeff Todd of MLB Trade Rumors has a quick primer on how August revocable waivers work.