Miami pitcher Jesus Luzardo has a high ceiling. He's been disappointing early in his big league career with a 3-5 record and 7.36 ERA. But the Cubs have become an auto-fade in this type of price range.

Luzardo could be in line now for a big game against a decimated Cubs lineup that no longer has the traded Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baer and also is minus injured players Wilson Contreras, Nico Hoerner and Jason Heyward.

The Cubs are in free-fall, losing 14 of their last 16, including the past eight. They've lost their last two games by a combined margin of 27-4.

Adbert Alzolay is slated to start for Chicago. The Cubs are 1-9 in his last 10 starts. Alzolay deserves this record with a 5.90 ERA in his last 10 starts. Miami owns the superior bullpen now that the Cubs jettisoned closer Craig Kimbrel.

The Marlins were idle Thursday after upsetting the Padres, 7-0, two days ago. So their bullpen is rested. The Cubs, by contrast, are playing for the fifth time in four days.