Matthew Boyd starts as Cubs try to stop Marlins’ Wrigley sweep

Matthew Boyd takes the ball Thursday with the Cubs still waiting to secure a postseason place. Miami has won the first two games at Wrigley Field, leaving Chicago with one chance to avoid a three-game sweep. The finale is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. Eastern, with Tyler Phillips listed as the Marlins' probable starter. Both pitchers are probable, so the matchup remains subject to a lineup change before first pitch.

The Cubs are 87-71 after Wednesday's 3-2 loss. They are level with Philadelphia in MLB's National League Wild Card standings, while San Diego sits at 88-70. The standings still list Chicago as unclinched. A win would end the skid and improve its position, though the exact clinch path depends on results elsewhere. Miami enters at 78-80 and has won three of its five meetings with the Cubs this season.

The last two games show why Chicago cannot count on a single late rally. Miami broke open Tuesday's game with six runs in the 12th inning, winning 8-2. On Wednesday, Dansby Swanson's two-run single erased Kyle Stowers' two-run homer, but the Marlins retook the lead in the seventh when a replay review overturned a force play and Agustín Ramírez scored. The Cubs did not score again. Our Wednesday recap follows those plays in full.

Boyd arrives off a better result. He worked five innings in Saturday's 5-2 win at Cincinnati, allowing one earned run and striking out four. MLB's official highlights below are from that September 19 start, not Thursday's upcoming game.