Anthony Rizzo expected to return to Chicago Cubs lineup on Tuesday

Chicago Cubs slugger Anthony Rizzo is expected to return to the lineup on Tuesday, after missing a game with back soreness.

Anthony Rizzo was held out of the Chicago Cubs lineup on Sunday with back soreness. The Cubs did not end up needing Rizzo, as they cruised to a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, with his replacement, Victor Caratini, hitting a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning. However, losing Rizzo for an extended period of time would be a major loss for the Cubs.

Luckily, that does not appear to be the case. Rizzo told David Kaplan on his radio show this morning that he expects to be in the lineup when the Cubs face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

Rizzo has been one of the most consistent parts of an inconsistent Cubs’ lineup. He is hitting an impressive .257/.387/.509 with 24 home runs on the season. Rizzo is the big bat in the middle of the Chicago Cubs lineup that makes everything go. With six tough games against the Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals coming up, the Cubs need their slugger at full health and in the middle of their lineup.

With Arizona sending left-hander Patrick Corbin to the mound on Tuesday, you may be thinking it would be wise to give the left-handed hitting Rizzo another day off. Lefty versus lefty matchup typically do not go well for the hitter.

However, Anthony Rizzo is not your normal hitter. The Cubs’ slugger is hitting an incredible .267/.400/.574 against left-handed pitching this season. He is even more dangerous against left-handed pitching than he is against right-handers. Getting Rizzo back in the lineup against Corbin is important for the Chicago Cubs to have success on Tuesday night.

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Can Jon Lester and the Cubs start this tough home stretch off right with a win on Tuesday night? That remains to be seen, but having Rizzo back and healthy undoubtedly gives them a better shot.