The Chicago Cubs face the Texas Rangers on Friday, May 8, at 7:05 CT. A win would mark the Cubs' fourth season since 1901 with multiple double-digit winning streaks.
Today’s roster move: Here
Friday notes…
The game starts at 7:05 PM CT.
The Cubs have had multiple double-digit winning streaks in only three seasons since 1901, with a potential fourth this year.
Ian Happ is leading the Cubs with a 28-game on-base streak.
On May 8, 2016, Javier Báez hit a walk-off homer in the 13th inning, leading the Cubs to a 4-3 victory over the Nationals.
Foster Griffin struck out a season-high nine batters over seven innings, leading the Nationals to a 3-2 victory against the Marlins. Jacob Young contributed with a two-run homer in the first inning.
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Cubs lineup:
Rangers lineup:
This is Ben Brown’s first start of 2026. Given that he has maxed out at 50 pitches in a game this year — and that was on March 31 vs. the Angels — this is likely to be a short outing, maybe three innings tops. It’s possible that Javier Assad, who threw 17 pitches on Wednesday, could piggyback witb Brown.
Brown has one career appearance against the Rangers, March 30, 2024 in Texas. You should not click on that link. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
As you can see by the chart below, Brown has developed a third pitch, which appears to have made him more effective this year.
Kumar Rocker was highly in demand out of Vanderbilt, so much so that he was drafted in the first round by the Mets in 2021, then went back into the draft the following year after the Mets tried to re-negotiate his deal after some injury concerns. He was taken in the first round again in 2022, by the Rangers.
Rocker’s MLB career to date has been injury-filled and not living up to his promise. Shoulder problems last year limited him to 14 starts. He was doing okay this year until his last outing, May 2 vs. the Tigers, when he got hit hard (seven hits, five runs in two innings).
He has never faced the Cubs or anyone on the team’s active roster.
Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. It’s also on Peacock (streaming, Rangers broadcast, outside the Cubs and rangers market territories).
Please visit our SB Nation Rangers site Lone Star Ball. If you do go there to interact with Rangers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
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