Alfonso Soriano returned to the lineup Wednesday while Brett Jackson got the chance to observe in the finale of a three-game series at San Diego and the last game of a six-game West Coast road trip.
The Chicago Cubs are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak that started July 31, the day of the non-waiver trade deadline.
Soriano was a lineup scratch Tuesday with a sore right hand after he was spiked during a slide in Monday night’s game at San Diego.
Jackson was called up from the minor leagues Sunday with the Cubs saying they had every intention of letting him play the majority of time until the end of the season. The early going has been rough, though.
Jackson had two hits in his debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers Sunday, but struck out four times against the Padres on Monday and three more times Tuesday night. In fact, going back to his last at-bat Sunday, Jackson has struck out in eight official trips to the plate (he had a walk in Tuesday’s game).
With the Padres starting left-hander Clayton Richard on Wednesday, the left-handed hitting Jackson was given a chance to regroup.
The left-handed opponent does offer Josh Vitters the opportunity to get his second career start at third base. The right-handed hitting Vitters delivered his first career hit Tuesday, collecting a two-run pinch-hit double.
The Cubs’ complete lineup against the Padres for Wednesday’s 5:35 p.m. CST start:
1. David DeJesus, CF
2. Darwin Barney, 2B
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
4. Soriano, LF
5. Starlin Castro, SS
6. Welington Castillo, C
7. Vitters, 3B
8. Joe Mather, RF
9. Jeff Samardzija, P