The Pittsburgh Pirates, currently leading the NL Central with a record of 9-5, will face off against the Chicago Cubs, who are in fifth place with a record of 6-8. The matchup is set for Sunday at 2:20 p.m. EDT in Chicago.
Matchup Overview
- Pirates’ Pitcher: Bubba Chandler (0-1, 3.12 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 10 strikeouts)
- Cubs’ Pitcher: Jameson Taillon (0-1, 2.53 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 7 strikeouts)
Recent Performance
The Pirates are coming off an impressive performance from Oneil Cruz, who recorded four hits against the Cubs in Saturday’s game. Pittsburgh boasts a solid .248 batting average over their last ten games, winning eight out of those ten.
In contrast, the Cubs are struggling, with a .213 batting average in their recent ten games. They have lost six games in that stretch and are facing challenges in close encounters, holding a 1-2 record in one-run games.
Statistical Highlights
- Pirates’ Road Record: 5-3
- Pirates’ Team ERA: 3.02 (ranked second in the NL)
- Cubs’ Home Record: 3-5
Key Players
For the Cubs, Ian Happ stands out with six extra-base hits, including four home runs. Meanwhile, Matt Shaw has been productive recently, hitting 7-for-30 with two home runs and five RBIs in the last ten games.
On the Pirates’ side, Oneil Cruz leads the team with four home runs and a slugging percentage of .618. Nick Yorke is also performing well, going 11-for-29 with three doubles and two RBIs over the past ten games.
Injury Report
- Cubs Injuries:
- Phil Maton: 15-Day IL (knee)
- Matthew Boyd: 15-Day IL (biceps)
- Cade Horton: 15-Day IL (forearm)
- Porter Hodge: 15-Day IL (elbow)
- Justin Steele: 60-Day IL (elbow)
- Jordan Wicks: 15-Day IL (forearm)
- Shelby Miller: 60-Day IL (elbow)
- Christopher Austin: 60-Day IL (knee)
- Pirates Injuries:
- Jared Triolo: 10-Day IL (knee)
- Jared Jones: 60-Day IL (elbow)
This matchup marks the third meeting between the Pirates and Cubs this season, with Pittsburgh looking to build on its strong start and Chicago aiming to turn things around.
