Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
First Pitch: 2:20 PM ET
Broadcast: MLB Network, MARQ, SportsNet PT
Radio: 670 The Score (Chicago), KDKA-FM 93.7 (Pittsburgh)
Match Context
The Cubs return home after dropping two of three to Toronto, while the Pirates limp into Wrigley Field on a five-game losing streak, including a 12–5 blowout loss to Milwaukee. Chicago sits second in the NL Central and holds a Wild Card spot, while Pittsburgh is last in the division and fading fast.
This is the first of a three-game weekend series. The Cubs are 16–5 this season when favored by -178 or more on the moneyline.
Starting Pitchers
Chicago Cubs – Colin Rea (9–5, 4.09 ERA)
- 116.2 IP, 85 K, 1.21 WHIP
- 6 quality starts this season
- In two appearances vs. Pittsburgh: 12 IP, 3.00 ERA, 0.917 WHIP, .186 BAA
Pittsburgh Pirates – Braxton Ashcraft (3–2, 3.19 ERA)
- Rookie right-hander making his third start of the season
- 36.2 IP, 33 K, 1.36 WHIP
- Allowed 1 ER in 2 IP vs. Cubs in relief earlier this season
Key Hitters to Watch
Chicago Cubs
- Seiya Suzuki – 27 HR, 85 RBI; team leader in power
- Pete Crow-Armstrong – 27 HR, 78 RBI; top-10 in MLB homers
- Nico Hoerner – .293 AVG; hitting .300 over last 5 games
Pittsburgh Pirates
- Bryan Reynolds – .275 AVG, 13 HR, 61 RBI; batting .368 over last 5 games with 2 HR
- Andrew McCutchen – 11 HR, 48 BB; veteran presence
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa – .268 AVG; team-best batting average
Team Trends & Stats
| Team | Record | Last 10 | Runs/Game | Team ERA | Batting Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cubs | 68–52 | 4–6 | 5.04 | 3.85 | .252 |
| Pirates | 51–71 | 2–8 | 3.60 | 4.06 | .232 |
- Cubs rank 5th in MLB in runs scored and 4th in slugging (.434)
- Pirates rank 30th in slugging (.346) and 26th in hits
Game Odds
Pittsburgh Pirates 9
Chicago Cubs – 205
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Thursday, August 14, 2025
