Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs: What to Expect
Spring Training 2021 is officially in the books, and no you aren't dreaming, Opening Day is tomorrow! After seeing just 60 games last season, baseball is back in all of its glory with 162 games and six months of baseball sitting in front of us. For the Pittsburgh Pirates, a new season brings new opportunities for a young team that is looking to start an upward swing after being the worst team in baseball in 2020. While all the experts have the Pirates down and out, don't tell that to this team of young and hungry players. Guys like Bryan Reynolds, Ke'Bryan Hayes, and Jacob Stallings are looking to prove the critics wrong and show how good this team can be. While they won't be World Series contenders, this team is showing signs of being a young and hungry team that could surprise some people.
Their first step on their journey takes them to Chicago, Illinois where they take on National League Central rivals the Chicago Cubs in a three-game series. Both teams have gone through changes this off-season but in different ways. The Cubs have added guys like Eric Sogard and Joc Pederson to bolster their roster, while the Pirates are in a rebuild mode with guys like Josh Bell and Joe Musgrove leaving the organization. On paper, this match-up seems to give an advantage to the Cubs, but both teams have their share of questions heading into Opening Day. For both teams, pitching is a big question as they figure out their starting rotations and bullpen makeup. It is a classic National League Central lineup, and we get you ready for the match-up with what to expect in this three-game series.
Scouting The Cubs
The Chicago Cubs enter the season with a new-look roster with additions to the offensive side of the ball and some subtractions from the defensive side. They brought in outfielder Joc Pederson and infielder Eric Sogard to complement a lineup that already features Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant. Although rumors swirled about Bryant being traded this year, nothing came to fruition. However, on the pitching side, they said goodbye to starting pitchers Jose Quintana and Yu Darvish and see going with a much younger rotation. Kyle Hendrix leads the way and off-season additions Jake Arietta, Zach Davies, and former Pirate Trevor Williams are in their place.
The Cubs have had a strong Spring Training in 2021, finishing their slate going 15-9 in Cactus League play. However, their last week of play did not go well as from March 22nd to March 29th, they posted a record of 3-4-1. They ended their Spring slate with a 7-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 29th, giving them momentum into the regular season. On the offensive side of the ball, the Cubs have been one of the top offensive teams this year finishing a tick below the Pirates in batting average (.263) while finishing sixth in baseball with 147 runs scored. On the pitching side, they were 10th in baseball with a 4.52 ERA and were middle of the pack allowing 130 runs. NL Central games always have more of a spark and both the Pirates and Cubs are looking for Hot Starts
Pitching Wins Ball Games
The Pittsburgh Pirates will go as far as their pitching goes, and that starts from day one when Chad Kuhl takes the mound for the Opener. The Pirates have not yet named their other starters in the series (May Change) but with a young offense, a pitching staff that can keep their team in games is vital. For Kuhl, that was sort of a specialty last season after coming off Tommy John Surgery. He ended up making nine starts for the Pirates, and in those nine starts, he turned in five quality starts, including one against the Cubs on the final day of the regular season. In that final start against the Cubs, Kuhl was lights out going seven shutout innings while allowing two hits, walking three, and striking out five.
The key to this starting staff's success is going to be eliminating the free pass. With the home run trouble that some of the starters have experienced this spring, free passes are only going to hurt the situation. However, this spring, the Pirates have worked on their walks, ranking in the bottom half of the league with just 91 walks this spring. The Cubs lineup is one that features a good amount of power, but when they hit their home runs you have to make sure they are solo shots. If the Pirates pitchers can keep the ball in the strike zone, and on the ground, they should be able to neutralize the Cub's high-powered offense and keep their team in games.
Take Advantage of the Windy City
When you head to Wrigley Field, you know at one point or another the wind is going to play a factor in the game. Whether it is blowing out for the hitters or blowing in for the pitchers, one side usually is a favorite because of the wind. No matter which way the wind is blowing, the Pirates need to take advantage. If it is going out, the offense needs to set the table and hit the gaps to score runs. The Pirates have been one of the top offensive teams during spring, with a batting average of .264, and they had two of the top hitters in baseball during spring in Kevin Newman and Adam Frazier. If they can continue to get on base at a consistent rate, their power hitters can drive the ball into the wind and create big innings.
However, if the wind is blowing in, things can be a bit tougher for the offense, but easier for the pitchers. If the wind is blowing in, the key is to keep the ball on the ground and find holes in the infield. If the ball isn't in the air, the wind can't blow it in and make it an easy play. Guys like Kevin Newman and Jacob Stallings, who typically keep the ball close to the ground, can benefit from this by poking the ball through the holes available in the infield. It will take timely hitting and the ability to string hits together, but that will help the Pirates score runs more consistently and will help their pitchers gain the confidence they need on the mound.
Opening Day is tomorrow as the Pittsburgh Pirates (0-0) kick-off the 2021 season when they face the Chicago Cubs (0-0) at 2:20 pm. Chad Kuhl (0-0, -.--) will be making his first Opening Day start of his career for the Pirates going against Kyle Hendricks (0-0, -.--) for the Cubs. You can watch the game on AT&T Sportsnet, listen on 93.7 The Fan, or follow along with us on Twitter by following @Buccos_Cove.
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