Pregame Notes: Chicago Cubs return to Cubs Park to face the Dodgers

Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports.

After taking a rare off-day yesterday afternoon the Cubs will return to Cubs Park in Mesa  to take on the richest team in baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 2013 NL West champions will send some of the “A” squad, featuring Cuban slugger Yasiel Puig, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and, of course, the starter, Josh Beckett.

The former Florida Marlin (as Cubs fans can painfully remember from the early 2000s), has allowed five runs and seven hits over five frames this spring while dealing with some injury concerns. Beckett will be opposed by 24-year old right-hander Kyle Hendricks, who has had some issues himself this spring with a very odd five walks in five innings for a prospect known for his control.

The game today will be played at 3:05 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on MLB Network at 8 p.m. CT. Darwin Barney will move back over to second after getting some shortstop action this week, while Donnie Murphy will pick up a game at short.

Here’s how the two teams will lineup:

The North Siders:

"#Cubs vs. LAD: Bonifacio CF, Sweeney DH, Schierholtz RF, Rizzo 1B, Ruggiano LF, Valbuena 3B, Murphy SS, Kottaras C, Barney 2B, Hendricks P— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 14, 2014"

And for the Los Angeles Dodgers: