The Cubs head into Pittsburgh needing a cleaner response after dropping their series to the Detroit Tigers, and the timing isn’t exactly friendly. Chicago’s lead in the division race has slipped to seven games, while the Pirates have pushed themselves to within 4.5 games of the Cubs’ No. 2 spot in the NL Central. That sets up a series opener that feels a little heavier than a regular midweek game.
And the matchup on the mound only sharpens that edge. The Pirates are lining up their best three arms over the next three days, starting with Jared Jones, whose numbers and stuff make him a tough first hurdle.
His 4.05 ERA doesn’t jump off the page, but the strikeout rate just under 30.0 percent and whiff rate a little above 30.0 percent tell the real story. Both marks sit in the league’s 90th percentile or better.
Jones backs that up with premium velocity. His fastball averages 98.6 mph, and he pairs it with a change-up and a slider that serves as his main putaway pitch.
The Cubs do have one encouraging note: he can give up hard contact. But he hasn’t allowed a home run this month and has given up only 2 earned runs in his last three starts, so the margin for error stays thin.
Chicago will counter with Matthew Boyd, who has looked more like himself since returning in late June. He has gone 6.0 or more innings in each of his last three starts, and in two of those outings he allowed no more than three hits. Boyd can still be sharper at limiting hard contact, but the recent stretch has been a clear step forward for a pitcher who needs his command to be right to succeed.
The Cubs’ lineup is mostly unchanged from the series finale against Detroit. The one tweak comes at designated hitter, where rookie Pedro Ramírez is back in the seven spot. Michael Conorto handled that role on Wednesday and went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts.
Ramírez has earned more chances. Over his last 15 outings, he is hitting .314 with 11 hits and 8 RBIs, and he has been one of Chicago’s more reliable hitters since arriving in the majors. That makes his return to the DH spot worth watching, especially with the Cubs looking for a lift after the Tigers series.
Chicago is also hoping Seiya Suzuki keeps swinging the bat the way he did against Detroit. He homered twice in that series and finished with 5 RBIs.
The Cubs’ lineup for the opener is Pete Crow-Armstrong in center, Suzuki in right, Michael Busch at first, Alex Bregman at third, Ian Happ in left, Nico Hoerner at second, Ramírez at DH, Carson Kelly catching, and Dansby Swanson at shortstop.
In Other News...
Mets Fans Wont Love This New Cubs Trade Prediction
Pitching help remains the Cubs obvious winter-to-deadline concern, and that has already pushed Chicago into the market once this season. CBS Sports analyst Mike Axisa recently floated a scenario in which the Cubs could keep mining the same lane, after earlier dealing for David Peterson from the Mets and continuing to look for arms that can help stabilize a staff hit by injuries and uneven performance.
The latest prediction is the kind of idea that would not sit well in Queens, because it has the Cubs circling New York again as the 2026 trade deadline approaches. Axisas case leans on recent performance and contract situations, with Freddy Peralta standing out as a possible buy-low target and Huascar Brazoban also in the mix, while Chicagos search for another reliever piece remains part of the larger picture. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Fans Just Got Another Reason To Sweat The Trade Deadline
The days leading into the Aug. 3 trade deadline already had Cubs fans bracing for movement, and two of the organizations top prospects only added to the unease. Moises Ballesteros and Kevin Alcantara each posted motivational, somewhat cryptic messages on Instagram, a small detail on its own but one that landed at a tense moment for a team expected to be active in the market.
Alcantara was recently sent back to Triple-A this week, while Ballesteros stayed put after the Cubs chose to call up James Triantos for his MLB debut instead of bringing him back to the majors. With starting pitching still the obvious area to watch, the front office has plenty to weigh as it sorts through possible upgrades, and the uncertainty around both young players is just another reason the deadline feels worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Lefty Bullpen Churn Just Took Another Turn
The Cubs search for left-handed relief help took another hit when Drew Pomeranz was designated for assignment after a rough stretch in Chicago. He had already been battling to get traction after a difficult run with the Angels, and the latest stint never really gave the Cubs much reason to keep him in the mix.
With Pomeranz out of the picture, the bullpens lefty depth is down to Caleb Thielbar and Ryan Rolison for now, which keeps the front offices options open if it wants to add another southpaw. Chicago can always keep an eye on the market, but the bigger question over the next stretch may be how aggressively it balances that need against the rest of its pitching priorities. [Read more 🡒]