The Cubs went winless during a six-game home stretch against the Brewers and Astros, extending an eight-game skid. Offensive production has remained inconsistent, while the starting rotation has regressed due to injuries. The Cubs now begin a two-team road swing in the NL Central with a four-game set against the Pirates in Pittsburgh. The Pirates sit last in the division but are close to .500 and have been competitive, including taking two of three from the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Pittsburgh’s offense posts a .718 team OPS, and its rotation leads with a 3.62 ERA. The bullpen has been a weakness with a 4.13 ERA, while the Cubs face lineup shakeups and a further rotation hit from Edward Cabrera’s injury.
"The Cubs' (29-24) slump got even worse as they went winless in a six-game homestand against the Brewers and Astros. Continued offensive issues have combined with the starting rotation regressing under the weight of injuries to feed into their active eight-game skid. To make matters worse, they now have to go back out on the road for a two-team swing through the division. First up is a four-game set in the Steel City against the Pirates."
"Pittsburgh (27-26) is currently in last place in the NL Central, but they are a game over .500 and are very much a factor in the division. They took two out of three from the Cubs at Wrigley Field in April and are 13-13 at PNC Park this season. The offense continues to hold its own with a .718 team OPS that is 10th best in MLB. Second baseman Brandon Lowe is having an impressive season with 13 homers and an .898 OPS."
"The starting rotation is still the strongest aspect of Pittsburgh's roster with a 3.62 ERA as a unit. Ace Paul Skenes' numbers are a bit down from his 2025 Cy Young campaign, but he can be absolutely dominant when he's on. The big story early on is Braxton Ashcraft, who has a 2.89 ERA and has matched Skenes with 65 strikeouts through 62.1 innings."
"The Pirates' biggest vulnerability so far has been the bullpen, which has a 4.13 ERA that is ranks 17th in baseball. Dennis Santana began the season as the closer but was replaced by lefty Gregory Soto after he was ineffective. Another left-hander, Evan Sisk, has been excellent, and several young arms have been moved into more prominent roles recently. The North Siders have very few answers right now, and an attempt to shake up the lineup over the weekend had mixed results."
Read at Cubsinsider
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