The Chicago Cubs host the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, August 5 at 2:20 PM ET, with left-hander Shota Imanaga drawing the start against Eric Lauer in what shapes up as one of the more compelling home matchups of the summer. The Cubs send out a full lineup anchored by Alex Bregman, Seiya Suzuki, and Pete Crow-Armstrong against a Dodgers squad that brings Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Kyle Tucker, and Mookie Betts to the North Side. The game airs on Marquee Sports Network and MLB Network, with radio coverage on 104.3 The Score.

Pitching Matchup: Imanaga vs. Lauer

Shota Imanaga gets the ball for the Cubs, and his presence on the mound is always an event at Wrigley. The Japanese left-hander has been one of Chicago's most important arms, and a mid-afternoon start at Clark and Addison suits his command-first approach. He'll need to be sharp — this Dodgers lineup does not offer soft spots anywhere in the order.

Eric Lauer gets the call for Los Angeles. The left-hander has experience bouncing between rotation roles and will look to keep a Cubs offense quiet that has some real punch in the middle of the order. Bregman batting third followed by Carson Kelly at cleanup and Michael Busch at fifth gives Chicago legitimate run-scoring capability. If Lauer leaves anything over the plate, this lineup will make him pay.

Cubs Lineup: Keys to Watch

• Pete Crow-Armstrong (DH, leadoff): PCA hitting from the top of the order gives Chicago its best chance to set the table early. His ability to work counts and create chaos on the bases puts immediate pressure on opposing pitchers.
• Alex Bregman (3B, No. 3): Bregman in the three-hole is exactly where you want a disciplined, situational hitter. If Ohtani-level stuff shuts down the top of the order, Bregman is the reset button.
• Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ in the six and seven spots: Both are professional at-bats. Late in a close game, this part of the lineup has a way of quietly doing damage.

Dodgers Lineup: The Threat Is Real

Let's be honest — this is a gauntlet. Ohtani leads off, Andy Pages hits second, and then Freddie Freeman steps in at third. Tommy Edman bats cleanup, Kyle Tucker hits fifth, and Mookie Betts — now at shortstop — bats sixth. Max Muncy rounds it out at seven. Imanaga does not get to coast through any part of this order. Even the ninth spot features Hunter Feduccia, giving Lauer a chance to work the bottom without embarrassing himself at the plate.

The Cubs will need Imanaga to limit traffic in the middle innings most of all. Ohtani, Freeman, and Tucker represent the highest-leverage cluster, and if Imanaga can navigate them with efficiency, Chicago's bullpen gets a winnable situation late.

Prediction

This is the kind of game Wrigley Field was built for. Big opponent, mid-afternoon sun, a packed house. Imanaga's ability to mix speeds and locate gives the Cubs a genuine chance against this lineup, but Los Angeles does not have many off days offensively. Expect a tight game that comes down to the sixth and seventh innings. Edge to the Cubs, 4–3, if Imanaga can get through five clean and Chicago's middle order gets to Lauer before he finds his footing.