Marlins vs. Cubs: Start time, how to watch and game thread—May 6, 2023

General manager Kimberly J. Ng of the Miami Marlins before the game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 05, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. — Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images

Matt Barnes and Drew Smyly will start Saturday’s Marlins vs. Cubs game at Wrigley Field. Full lineups and game notes in here.

Welcome to Saturday’s Marlins (16-17, -55 RD) vs. Cubs (16-16, +45 RD) game thread. Bet you weren’t expecting a Matt Barnes start, were you?

Marlins Game Notes

Marlins Starting Lineup

SS Jon Berti (97 wRC+ this season, bats right)
RF Jorge Soler (99, R)
DH Luis Arraez (185, L)
1B Yuli Gurriel (108, R)
LF Bryan De La Cruz (79, R)
CF Jazz Chisholm Jr. (85, L)
3B Jean Segura (33, R)
C Nick Fortes (60, R)
2B Xavier Edwards (86, S)

RHP Matt Barnes (115 ERA+ this season)

From #Marlins manager Skip Schumaker pregame: Bryan Hoeing will pitch out of the bullpen today. Exactly when/how long will depend on the flow of the game.

Why Matt Barnes as opener? “A good righty at the top makes sense, a guy that doesn’t scare and has been in big moments.”

— Jordan McPherson (@J_McPherson1126) May 6, 2023

Lineup Changes from Previous Game: Edwards and Fortes in, Garrett Hampson and Jacob Stallings out; Soler switches from DH to RF, Arraez switches from 2B to DH

Additional Marlins Notes: Barnes just pitched on Friday and hasn’t gone past 34 pitches in any appearance this season, so this an opener situation. The originally scheduled starter, Bryan Hoeing, is available to pitch in relief…The Marlins have homered only twice over their last eight games, unsurprisingly the lowest total in the majors during that period…Even though Smyly has been around a long time, no available Marlins hitter has had more than nine career plate appearances against the journeyman.

Cubs Starting Lineup

Matt Mervis #22 of the Chicago Cubs reacts after his RBI single in the eighth inning of his MLB debut against the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field on May 05, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois.

2B Nico Hoerner (111 wRC+ this season, bats right)
SS Dansby Swanson (118, R)
LF Ian Happ (151, S)
RF Seiya Suzuki (100, R)
CF Cody Bellinger (149, L)
DH Trey Mancini (91, R)
1B Matt Mervis (35, L)
3B Nick Madrigal (77, R)
C Tucker Barnhart (26, L)

LHP Drew Smyly (156 ERA+ this season)

Cubs Notes: Mervis made his MLB debut on Friday and contributed an RBI single…Smyly’s curveball usage is at a career-high 48.1% and it’s been responsible for recording the vast majority of his strikeouts this season.

How to Watch/Listen/Follow

First pitch is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. ET. Watch on Bally Sports Florida or listen to the radio broadcast on Fox Sports 940 Miami.

I will handle the game recap article.