Cubs vs. Padres at Mesa Preview, Monday 3/14, 3:05 CT

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- After today, if you want to see Jake Arrieta or Jon Lester pitch this week, you'll have to hang around Cubs camp and watch minor-league games:

Jon Lester will throw in a minor-league "B" game Tuesday instead of his scheduled Cactus League start against the Padres.

Arrieta, who will start Monday against the Padres, will also throw in a minor-league game Saturday, skipping a Cactus League game against the Indians.

This is in part due to the odd spring schedule, which was heavy on Sloan Park games in the first week of March, and will be again the last week, but has few home games in the middle. It saves Arrieta and Lester long bus rides, and also means that some of the Cubs' relievers who have starting experience get a chance to start.

Clayton Richard will get the call Tuesday against San Diego. It hasn't yet been announced, but since both Trevor Cahill and Travis Wood have started games this spring, Adam Warren might get the Saturday start. It doesn't hurt to keep those guys stretched out so they can start if needed, or go multiple innings in relief.

Here are today's particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Fowler CF, Heyward RF, Zobrist 2B, Bryant 3B, Montero C, Soler LF, Russell SS, Perez DH, Guzman 1B

More regulars in this lineup -- the only regulars not playing today are Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber.

Padres lineup:

Jay CF, Spangenberg 2B, Myers 1B, Norris C, Blash LF, Dickerson DH, Ramirez SS, Weeks 3B, Jankowski RF

Jake Arrieta gets the start for the Cubs. Others on the Cubs pitching list for today: C.J. Riefenhauser, Pierce Johnson, Carl Edwards Jr., Armando Rivero and Jean Machi.

Colin Rea goes for the Padres.

Today's game is on cubs.com with Len Kasper and Mick Gillispie.

MLB.com Gameday

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

Please visit our SB Nation Padres site Gaslamp Ball. If you do go there to interact with Padres fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

Please note that during spring training, Gameday doesn't usually go pitch-by-pitch as it does during the regular season -- usually, it will update after each at-bat.

For spring-training games, we'll have a first-pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time (because I know how you all like overflow threads!). For today, that will be 3 p.m. CT and 4:30 p.m. CT.

These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked "Chicago Cubs Game Threads" at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher boxes and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.

Discuss amongst yourselves.