Cubs Give Alcantara Birthday Start in Key Reds Clash
Kevin Alcantara starts for the Cubs against the Reds on his birthday, batting ninth as Dansby Swanson moves up to eighth in a lineup hoping to clinch the series before the All-Star break. Chicago counters with Matthew Boyd against left-hander Andrew Abbott, while Cincinnati lines up its own lefty matchup. The piece also covers lineup notes, injuries, and weather at Great American Ball Park ahead of the game.