Thursday notes…
CUBS vs. PIRATES AT WRIGLEY: Since 2015, the Cubs are 52-29 at home against the Pirates. They have outscored them by 149 runs, 1.83 per game; made 108 more hits; and hit 21 more home runs. The Cubs’ slash line in the games is .274/.356/.450, for an OPS of .807. The Pirates’ is .229/.297/.371, .668. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
ABOUT THAT NL CENTRAL LEAD: The Cubs’ five-game lead in the division standings is their third largest through 68 games in the last 50 seasons. They led by 11½ games in 2016, with a record of 47-21, and by 8.5 games in 1977, at 46-22. Their other leads were four games in 2001 (41-27), 3½ in 2008 (43-25), two in 1989 (38-30) and 1½ in 2003 (38-30). They were tied for first in 2021 (38-30). (In 2001, they had led by six through 66 games then slipped to four with back-to-back losses.) In the seasons they were not first, the Cubs trailed by an average of eight games, with an average record of 32-36. They were 19 games behind in 1986, 18 in 1976 and 1981 and 16 in 2006 and 2013. They were at least 10 games behind in 16 seasons. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
HAPP-ENINGS: Ian Happ, last eight games since June 4: .281/.361/.719 (9-for-32) with two doubles, four home runs, six runs scored and eight RBI.
WHAT A RELIEF: In the last 23 games since May 14, the Cubs bullpen has posted an ERA of 0.90 ERA (nine earned runs in 90 innings) and 0.98 WHIP, the lowest marks in the majors in that span. Drew Pomeranz is one of two major league pitchers (minimum 15 games) with a 0.00 ERA (also Danny Coulombe), while his .102 BAA (5-for-49) is the lowest.
Here are today’s particulars.
Cubs lineup:
Pirates lineup:
Jameson Taillon, RHP vs. Andrew Heaney, LHP
Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Jameson Taillon has a 1.69 ERA and 0.750 WHIP over his last four starts and while it’s not quite mid-June yet, if he keeps this up he’ll have an argument for Pitcher of the Month.
He has not faced his former team, the Pirates, this year. Last year, in three starts against them he posted a 3.44 ERA in 18⅓ innings.
He’s also got a much better ERA at home this year (2.70 in six starts) than on the road (4.31 in seven starts).
Sounds like a recipe for victory.
Andrew Heaney is having a decent year, with a 3.24 ERA and 1.147 WHIP in 13 starts. If he keeps this up for another month the Pirates will almost certainly flip him to a contender. The Cubs, maybe?
The Cubs scored four runs off him in 4⅔ innings April 29 at PNC Park, including home runs by Carson Kelly and Pete Crow-Armstrong, one of the better games the Cubs have had against a left-handed starter this year.
I’ll take another one of those, please.
Also, it should be noted that Heaney ranks dead last in run support among 138 qualified starters in MLB so far this year. Let’s keep him at the bottom of that list.
Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. You can find out if Marquee is available via a provider in your area here.
Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
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The 2025 Game Thread procedure will be identical to last year’s.
You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread, as well as the recap when it’s published. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post.
You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at 90 minutes after the scheduled game time.
Discuss amongst yourselves.