The Cubs will head out on the road for the first time this season for six games, starting with two at PNC Park to take on the Pirates. The Cubs are coming off of a 2-1 weekend against the Brewers while the Pirates are coming off a losing weekend in St. Louis.
Drew Smyly will make his first start in a Cubs uniform after being signed in the latter part of March. Smyly has dealt with injuries throughout his career but was able to stay healthy while pitching for the World Champion Atlanta Braves last year, making 23 starts and posting a 4.48 ERA.
Smyly’s first start as a Cub will come against a below average Pirates offense that finished with the sixth lowest batting average, third worst OPS and hit the fewest home runs in the majors last season. The two bright spots in this Pirates lineup are Bryan Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes. Reynolds had a .912 OPS with 24 home runs last year in an All-Star campaign. Hayes was injured for much of 2021 but the Pirates just locked up the young star to an 8-year, $70 million deal.
Former Cub Jose Quintana will take the mound for his Pirates debut today after struggling in 2021 with the Angels and Giants. Quintana was traded from the White Sox to the Cubs in a deadline blockbuster in 2017, as the Cubs sent top prospects Eloy Jiminez and Dylan Cease to the South Side. Quintana had a 4.24 ERA in 78 starts with the Cubs and will face his former team for the first time today.
After leaving Saturday’s game and being out of the lineup on Sunday due to a hit by pitch, Ian Happ makes his return to left field and will hit eighth today. Clint Frazier will hit lead off and play center field, the man of the weekend, Seiya Suzuki, will play right field and hit fifth.
Suzuki showed out in his MLB debut weekend and looked every bit the part of the player he was in Japan and is expected to be here. He not only had three hits with six RBI and a home run, but also looked very calm at the plate drawing four walks and showed a willingness to be patient.
This will be the first of 19 meetings between these two clubs this season. The Cubs took the season series last year, going 14-5 with a +14 run differential. First pitch is scheduled for 3:12 PM on Marquee Sports Network.
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