The Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs currently represent the top two National League Central teams being separated by three games from each other. With that in mind, the Cubs come to PNC Park for a three-game series which may have large implications when it comes to early-season series.
Last season, the Pirates posted an 8-11 mark against the Cubs and want to get off to a better start in order to avoid this possibility happening again.
It has been a good start to the season for the Cubs, who at 17-6 are off to their best start since 1932.
“It’s the next team we’re playing, this is the big leagues,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “The Cubs have a good team, so we look forward to playing them.”
Tonight, Gerrit Cole (2-2 2.78 ERA) will face Jason Hammel (3-0 0.75 ERA).
Cole has a 7-1 mark in nine career starts against the Cubs. His seven wins against the Cubs represent the most by any major league pitcher since the start of the 2013 season.
Hammel has a 5-5 career mark against the Pirates with a 4.03 ERA in 12 games (11 starts). Last season, Hammel posted below average numbers versus the Pirates with a 1-2 mark to go with a 4.35 ERA.
“He has the ability to get swings and misses off his breaking stuff,” said Hurdle. “The other times he will sink the ball and pitch toward the bottom of the zone. I had Jason as a player in Colorado, and he is a four-pitch guy who will use all of his pitches. We’ve got to get strikes, get the ball up and go to work. He’s a guy who likes to compete and is working at a quicker tempo now maybe more than in the past.”
Pieces of eight
It has been a bizarre transition for the Pirates having an eight-man bullpen, but it is one they have made this regular season.
“This is the longest I’ve ever gone with eight,” Hurdle said. “When we were playing extra innings yesterday, I couldn’t help but think that we had a lot of pitching left. Normally that isn’t the thing that comes out of your mouth. It’s been interesting and a new experience for me. You do have to look at the other side and the moves with position players a little bit more. There are not many two player moves you can make. I think we’ve utilized the eight men well and it’s played well for us.”
It is unknown when this bullpen arrangement will change, but general manager Neal Huntington made clear in his press conference Sunday that the usual seven man “Shark Tank” will happen again at some point.
Tonight’s lineups
Pirates (15-10)
- John Jaso 1B
- Andrew McCutchen CF
- David Freese 3B
- Starling Marte LF
- Francisco Cervelli C
- Gregory Polanco RF
- Josh Harrison 2B
- Jordy Mercer SS
- Gerrit Cole P
Cubs (17-6)
- Dexter Fowler CF
- Tommy La Stella 3B
- Kris Bryant LF
- Anthony Rizzo 1B
- Ben Zobrist 2B
- Addison Russell SS
- Matt Szczur RF
- David Ross C
- Jason Hammel P
Bottom of the ninth
Pirates catcher Elias Diaz will have surgery to help cure his right elbow discomfort. The team has made clear this is not Tommy John surgery … Matt Joyce has six RBI as a pinch-hitter, tops in MLB … Josh Harrison is currently on a 10-game hitting streak, while Kyle Lobstein has thrown nine consecutive scoreless innings … Cubs catcher and former Pirate David Ross has received extended playing time with Miguel Montero on the disabled list and he has made the most of it. Ross has a 1.64 catcher’s ERA this season which is tops among all catchers with at least five starts.
