Detroit Tigers at Chicago Cubs

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
DET	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	8	12	1
CHC	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	6	11	1

Jack Flaherty (3-8, 4.48) has quietly turned into Detroit's best arm over the last month, and he draws Jameson Taillon (2-5, 5.19), who's finally back off the injured list for this exact start.

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ML

Total

Tigers(46-53)

LWWLL

8

+1.5-178+106o11.5+111

Cubs(56-43)

WWLWW

6

-1.5+174-108u11.5-111

Best BetCubs -116

Pregame

The Cubs are essentially even-money favorites here, and that price feels light for a team that's won 4 of 5 and gets a healthy Taillon back in the rotation. Detroit's Flaherty has been excellent lately, but this Tigers offense has been streaky and inconsistent, getting shut out twice in its last 5 games. Lay the price and back Chicago at home.

Taillon's absence has been brutal timing for a Cubs rotation that's already down Justin Steele, Edward Cabrera and, for a stretch, Taillon himself with a hamstring strain. He's logged two rehab outings to get stretched back out, so don't expect a max workload tonight even if the stuff looks sharp. On the other side, Casey Mize is banged up after leaving Sunday's loss to the Angels with wrist and groin issues, one more subtraction from a Tigers pitching staff that's already without Justin Verlander, Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson for the year.

Jack Flaherty

(3-8)·4.59 ERA

Jul 10 vs Phillies

W

6.0IP

2ER

6K

3BB

86P

07/20 Lineup

Jameson Taillon

(2-6)·5.92 ERA

Jun 7 vs Giants

ND

1.0IP

1ER

2K

2BB

35P

07/20 Lineup

Detroit's lineup has also gone cold at the wrong time, getting shut out twice by the Phillies before salvaging the Angels series with a 7-0 win sandwiched between two low-scoring losses. Chicago, meanwhile, just steamrolled Minnesota 10-1 to close a series and has won 4 of its last 5, riding momentum into the Tigers' visit.

Detroit Tigers

(46-53)

Jul 19L@ Angels2-3

Jul 19W@ Angels7-0

Jul 18W@ Angels2-1

Jul 12Lvs Phillies0-5

Jul 11Lvs Phillies2-4

Chicago Cubs

(56-43)

Jul 19Wvs Twins10-1

Jul 18Wvs Twins6-2

Jul 18Lvs Twins2-5

Jul 12W@ Reds8-4

Jul 11W@ Reds5-3

Detroit Tigers

(13)

• Day-To-DayCasey Mize (SP) — Mize is dealing with groin tightness and a wrist injury following his early departure from Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Angels, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.07/19
• 10-Day-ILGleyber Torres (2B) — Torres (oblique) played five innings at second base and went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in his first rehab appearance Monday in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.07/13
• 60-Day-ILWill Vest (RP) — Detroit transferred Vest (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.07/19
• 60-Day-ILJackson Jobe (SP) — Jobe (elbow) will make his next rehab start Sunday with Double-A Erie, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.07/19
• 60-Day-ILJavier Baez (SS) — Baez (ankle) began participating in live batting practice this week and is scheduled to run the bases Saturday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.07/18
• 60-Day-ILBailey Horn (RP) — Horn (elbow) will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.07/18
• 60-Day-ILBurch Smith (RP) — Smith (shoulder) will start a rehab assignment with Single-A Lakeland on Friday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.07/17
• 60-Day-ILJustin Verlander (SP) — Verlander (hamstring/hip) announced Wednesday via social media that he will retire following the 2026 season.07/08
• 60-Day-ILWenceel Perez (RF) — Perez (orbital) played light catch on the field at Comerica Park on Tuesday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.07/07
• 60-Day-ILParker Meadows (CF) — Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Tuesday that Meadows (forearm) has yet to resume hitting and is without a timeline to return from the 60-day injured list, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.06/25
• 60-Day-ILTrey Sweeney (SS) — Sweeney will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery this week, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.06/05
• 60-Day-ILBrant Hurter (RP) — The Tigers placed Hurter on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to lumbar spine inflammation.05/29
• 60-Day-ILReese Olson (SP) — The Tigers placed Olson on the 60-day injured list Tuesday after he underwent a right shoulder labral repair Feb. 2 that will result in him missing the 2026 season.05/08

Chicago Cubs

(14)

• 10-Day-ILMatt Shaw (RF) — Shaw is still feeling discomfort related to his left hand sprain and has yet to resume swinging a bat, Vinnie Duber of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.07/18
• 15-Day-ILEthan Roberts (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said July 8 that Roberts (forearm) completed a bullpen session, MLB.com reports.07/18
• 15-Day-ILDaniel Palencia (RP) — Manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Palencia (elbow) is hopeful to return to the Cubs' bullpen in mid-August, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.07/18
• 15-Day-ILEdward Cabrera (SP) — Manager Craig Counsell said Friday that the Cubs expect Cabrera (hamstring) to return from the injured list in the second week of August, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.07/18
• 15-Day-ILHoby Milner (RP) — Manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Milner (abdomen) will likely return from the injured list sometime around Aug. 1, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.07/18
• 15-Day-ILJameson Taillon (SP) — Manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Taillon (hamstring) will return from the injured list during the Cubs' upcoming series against the Tigers, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.07/18
• 15-Day-ILBen Brown (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Thursday that Brown has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his neck and will have limited activity for the next month, 104.3 The Score reports.06/25
• 15-Day-ILRiley Martin (RP) — The Cubs announced June 10 that Martin (elbow) has resumed playing catch, MLB.com reports.06/22
• 60-Day-ILJustin Steele (SP) — Steele (elbow) was cleared to begin ramping up his throwing program Tuesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.07/08
• 60-Day-ILHunter Harvey (RP) — The Cubs moved Harvey (triceps) from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL on Sunday.05/17
• 60-Day-ILPorter Hodge (RP) — The Cubs transferred Hodge (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILShelby Miller (RP) — The Cubs placed Miller (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Sunday.05/08
• 60-Day-ILCade Horton (SP) — The Cubs transferred Horton (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILTyler Austin (1B) — The Cubs placed Austin (knee) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08

Flaherty's turnaround is the real story here — over his last three starts he's allowed just 2 earned runs across 16.2 innings with 20 strikeouts, a stretch that would make any team nervous facing him, let alone one still finding its rhythm post-IL. Taillon's counting on rust shaking off fast, because Detroit's lineup has shown it can hang punches when a starter's still finding his groove.

Chicago's bullpen has taken its own hits lately with Daniel Palencia, Hoby Milner and Ethan Roberts all out, so however deep Taillon can stretch tonight matters more than usual. First pitch is 7:05 PM CT at Wrigley, with a Cubs club that's clearly playing better baseball right now trying to keep the pressure on for a division chase that's still 6 games out of reach.