CHICAGO CUBS (28-11)

at SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (25-18)

First pitch: Friday, 10:15 p.m. ET
Line: Chicago -174, San Francisco +164, Total: 7.0

Jake Arrieta and the Cubs kick off a three-game series against the Giants in a battle of first-place teams.

The Giants (25-18) will welcome the Cubs (28-11) to AT&T Park on Friday night for the first of three in a battle of first-place clubs. Chicago, with the most wins in the majors and the best winning percentage, leads the second-place Pirates by 6 ½ games. San Francisco, meanwhile, has opened up a 3 ½-game game lead over the Dodgers and Rockies in the National League West. On the mound for Joe Maddon will be Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (7-0, 1.29 ERA, 55 SO, 18 BB, 2 HR in 56 IP) who has arguably been the best pitcher in baseball in 2016. In eight starts this season, Arrieta has allowed more than two runs just once, and he hasn’t allowed the opposing team to score four times. He’ll be opposed by Giants RHP Jake Peavy (1-4, 7.43 ERA, 36 SO, 15 BB, 7 HR in 40 IP), who has been awful but is coming off his best outing of the season (1 ER on 3 H in 6 IP) against the Diamondbacks. The Giants are red hot, having won eight in a row (seven of which were on the road). This will be the first meeting of the season between these teams. The Cubs have posted an incredible 14-5 road record, while the Giants have gone just 11-10 at AT&T Park.

The Cubs have an incredibly dangerous lineup. They’re second in the National League in runs (221) and first in on-base percentage (.360). 2B Ben Zobrist (.328, 5 HR, 28 RBI, .448 OBP), in his first season in Chicago, has been raking of late. CF Dexter Fowler (.314, 4 HR, 20 RBI, .436 OBP) gets on base at an incredible clip, while 1B Anthony Rizzo (.255, 11 HR, 34 RBI, .398 OBP) and 3B Kris Bryant (.273, 7 HR, 26 RBI, .356 OBP) supply a good portion of the power. Zobrist has gone 5-for-19 with with two homers and two doubles against Peavy, and RF Jason Heyward (.225, 1 HR, 14 RBI, .325 OBP) has homered off him in four at-bats. C Miguel Montero (.207, 1 HR, 7 RBI, .347 OBP) is 6-for-28 with a homer and two doubles against the former Cy Young Award winner, and Rizzo is 3-for-14 against him with a triple. In 18 career starts against the Cubs, Peavy is 9-6 with a 2.81 ERA.

Bruce Bochy’s two best hitters this season have been RF Hunter Pence (.297, 7 HR, 32 RBI, .385 OBP) and 1B Brandon Belt (.295, 4 HR, 22 RBI, .425 OBP), and LF Angel Pagan (.279, 2 HR, 13 RBI, .341 OBP) is having a nice year. C Buster Posey (.275, 4 HR, 15 RBI, .331 OBP) hasn’t exactly played like a superstar this season, but he’s still a top catcher in the league. CF Denard Span (.272, 1 HR, 16 RBI, .373 OBP) has seen the most of Arrieta of any Giant, and he’s gone 4-for-14 against him with a double and walk. Pence is 3-for-7 lifetime against the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, though Posey is just 1-for-9 against him. 3B Matt Duffy (.233, 2 HR, 11 RBI, .292 OBP) is 3-for-7 against the 30-year-old with a triple, though SS Brandon Crawford (.257, 6 HR, 22 RBI, .325 OBP) and Belt have combined to go 0-for-13 against him with seven strikeouts. In four career starts against the Giants, Arrieta is 3-1 with a 1.69 ERA.