Indians @ Cubs

Who will WIN this matchup?

Cleveland Indians (39-30)

@ Chicago Cubs (40-32)

Starting Pitchers:

Civale (CLE): 10-2; 3.48 ERA

Alzolay (CHC) 4-5; 4.06 ERA

Current odds:

Cleveland Indians: (+130)

Chicago Cubs: (-155)

• Amid their significant injuries to their rotation, the Cleveland Indians will start emerging star right-hander Aaron Civale on Monday night when they visit the Chicago Cubs. It will be the third game between the teams this season. The Indians won the first two, including a walk-off victory in 10 innings on May 12. Last year, the Cubs won all four matchups, including the last two on walk-offs.

• Both the Indians and Cubs won on Sunday. Both victories avoided what would have been three-game sweeps by last-place teams. The Cubs blanked the Miami Marlins 2-0, and the Indians defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1.

• The 26-year-old Civale (10-2, 3.48 ERA) has become the ace of Cleveland’s staff now that reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber is on the injured list due to a right shoulder injury. The Indians are also without starter Zach Plesac, who broke his right thumb while angrily removing his shirt following a poor performance last month. Bieber (7-4), Plesac (4-3) and Civale have combined to win 21 games. No other pitcher who has started a game for Cleveland this year has won more than once.

• This will be Civale’s second start against the Cubs. He faced them last year and allowed two runs in six innings, finishing with a no-decision in one of the Cubs’ walk-off wins. Cleveland’s third-round pick out of Northeastern University in 2016, Civale made his major league debut in June 2019. He uses a cutter and curve to keep batters off his low-90s fastball, and he consistently produces soft contact. Civale’s strikeout rate is nothing special — 6.9 per nine innings this year. But he doesn’t walk many batters (just over two per nine).

• Offensively for the Indians, third baseman Jose Ramirez leads Cleveland in homers (16) and RBIs (44). He sat out Saturday’s game due to a bruised left foot after he was hit by a pitch on Friday. Ramirez was used as a pinch-hitter on Sunday and is expected to start on Monday. Ramirez has two homers and six RBIs in his past three starts.

• In addition, Indians catcher Austin Hedges is out due to a concussion.

• Meanwhile, the Cubs are expected to start right-hander Adbert Alzolay (4-5, 4.06), who is expected to come off the injured list. Alzolay hasn’t pitched since June 7. The 26-year-old Venezuelan has been out due to a blister on his right middle finger. When he starts, the Cubs are 5-6 this year. Since breaking into the majors with the Cubs in 2019, Alzolay is 6-7 with a 4.24 ERA. He is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in his one career start against the Indians. It came on May 11, when he went six innings and allowed three runs in a 3-2 Indians win. His career ERA at home (3.40) is much better than on the road (5.27).

• There’s a good chance Alzolay’s catcher will be Willson Contreras, a two-time All-Star. Contreras entered Saturday leading major league catchers with 483 innings at the position this year. The next-busiest catcher in the National League is 76 innings behind.