New York Yankees vs Chicago Cubs Starting Lineup — Sunday, Aug 2, 2026

New York Yankees at Chicago Cubs (2026-08-02). Gerrit Cole vs Colin Rea at Wrigley Field.

Starters — Cole has a 3.57 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 68 innings with 9.66 K/9, 1.85 BB/9, and 1.46 HR/9. His last three starts were strong: 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 7 K, 2 BB; 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 11 K, 0 BB; and 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 K, 1 BB. The trend points down in ERA, supported by elite strikeout and walk rates, although the home run rate remains a risk point. Rea carries a 4.67 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 111.2 innings with 6.69 K/9, 3.22 BB/9, and 1.37 HR/9. His last three were 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 K, 2 BB; 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 K, 1 BB; and 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 K, 1 BB. His trend is flat, with more contact management than swing-and-miss, and the WHIP suggests more traffic than Cole typically allows.

Teams — New York enters with a .723 OPS and 510 runs scored, backed by a 3.30 team ERA and 1.18 WHIP. The Yankees are 5-5 over their last 10, and their profile leans more on run prevention than pure offensive volume. Chicago has a .752 OPS and 569 runs, with a .248 team average, 4.11 team ERA, and 1.26 WHIP. The Cubs are 6-4 in their last 10 and bring the stronger production line at the plate, though their pitching staff has been less efficient than New York’s across ERA and WHIP. From a betting matchup standpoint, this sets up as New York holding the cleaner starting and overall pitching indicators, while Chicago counters with the more productive offense.