Los Angeles Dodgers (16-7, first in the NL West) vs. Chicago Cubs (9-14, fourth in the NL Central)

Chicago; Friday, 2:20 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Dodgers: Tyler Anderson (2-0, 2.55 ERA, .96 WHIP, 15 strikeouts); Cubs: Justin Steele (1-3, 5.50 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, 16 strikeouts)

BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs host the Los Angeles Dodgers to start a three-game series.

Chicago has a 4-7 record in home games and a 9-14 record overall. The Cubs have a 7-3 record in games when they have more hits than their opponents.

Los Angeles has a 16-7 record overall and a 10-2 record in home games. The Dodgers have the seventh-ranked team batting average in the NL at .239.

The teams meet Friday for the first time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Patrick Wisdom has seven doubles, five home runs and 15 RBI for the Cubs. Ian Happ is 8-for-31 with a double and two home runs over the last 10 games.

Freddie Freeman has a .299 batting average to rank third on the Dodgers, and has five doubles, a triple and three home runs. Mookie Betts is 11-for-37 with two home runs and three RBI over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cubs: 3-7, .228 batting average, 4.03 ERA, outscored by two runs

Dodgers: 6-4, .220 batting average, 2.15 ERA, outscored opponents by 20 runs

INJURIES: Cubs: Ethan Roberts: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Clint Frazier: 10-Day IL (appendicitis), Alec Mills: 10-Day IL (back), Andrelton Simmons: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Wade Miley: 10-Day IL (elbow), Adbert Alzolay: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Codi Heuer: 60-Day IL (elbow), Brad Wieck: 60-Day IL (elbow), David Bote: 60-Day IL (undisclosed)

Dodgers: Mitchell White: 10-Day IL (covid-19), David Price: 10-Day IL (undisclosed), Blake Treinen: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Andrew Heaney: 10-Day IL (shoudler), Caleb Ferguson: 10-Day IL (elbow), Victor Gonzalez: 10-Day IL (elbow inflammation), Danny Duffy: 60-Day IL (hand), Jimmy Nelson: 60-Day IL (elbow), Dustin May: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.