The Chicago Cubs head to Chase Field to face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, August 25, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET. Clay Holmes gets the ball for Chicago against Arizona's Brandon Pfaadt in a late-night regular season matchup that carries real weight for both clubs. Cubs fans can catch the game on Marquee Sports Network, with radio coverage on 104.3 The Score. This is the kind of mid-week road game that separates teams with genuine postseason ambitions from those just playing out the string.

Cubs vs. Diamondbacks Pitching Matchup: Holmes vs. Pfaadt

Clay Holmes draws the start for the Cubs. Holmes has experience working out of the bullpen at the major league level, and his assignment to start this game is worth monitoring — how deep the Cubs need him to go will shape how manager decisions unfold in the late innings. On the other side, Brandon Pfaadt is a right-hander Arizona has counted on in their rotation. Neither pitcher's current ERA or win-loss record is available entering this game, so the focus shifts to execution and lineup matchups rather than surface-level numbers.

Chicago Cubs Lineup at Chase Field

• Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
• Seiya Suzuki, RF
• Michael Busch, 1B
• Alex Bregman, 3B
• Ian Happ, LF
• Nico Hoerner, SS
• Pedro Ramírez, 2B
• Michael Conforto, DH
• Miguel Amaya, C

Arizona Diamondbacks Lineup

• Lars Nootbaar, DH
• Corbin Carroll, RF
• Gabriel Moreno, C
• Geraldo Perdomo, SS
• Max Kepler, LF
• Nolan Arenado, 3B
• Tim Tawa, 1B
• Ildemaro Vargas, 2B
• Jordan Lawlar, CF

Keys to Watch for the Cubs on Tuesday Night

Pete Crow-Armstrong Sets the Tone at the Top

PCA leading off gives the Cubs their best chance to manufacture early pressure. His ability to get on base and use his speed in the spacious Chase Field outfield is a genuine weapon. If he can get going early against Pfaadt, it forces Arizona's hand before the lineup even turns over to the middle of the order.

The Bregman-Happ Core Needs to Produce

Alex Bregman hitting cleanup and Ian Happ following him at five is a legitimate run-producing combination. Arizona's pitching staff will know it, too. If Pfaadt works around the top of the order and gets to Bregman and Happ in tough counts, the Cubs' offense could stall. The Cubs need those two swinging with purpose early.

Holmes' Pitch Count and Bullpen Depth

The biggest question mark entering this game is how Holmes is being deployed and how far he can go. A late 9:40 PM start in a warm Arizona ballpark means the Cubs' bullpen could see real work. Managing that bridge to the back end of the 'pen will be critical.

Corbin Carroll Is Always a Threat

Hitting second in Arizona's lineup, Carroll is the kind of player who can change a game in multiple ways — with his bat, his legs, and his defense in right field. Holmes will need to be sharp early and not let Carroll get comfortable.

Prediction

This is a coin-flip road game with a lot of unknowns around Holmes' role and usage. The Cubs' lineup has enough quality from top to bottom — Crow-Armstrong through Hoerner — to scratch out runs against Pfaadt. But Chase Field's environment and the late start favor a close, grind-it-out game. Cubs take a narrow one, 4-3, if the bullpen holds. A split-decision kind of night in Phoenix.