Chicago Cubs @ Pittsburgh Pirates – Series Preview (May 25-28): Overview, Game and Broadcast Info, Starting Pitchers, W2W4
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. Top prospect Konnor Griffin has been good at shortstop, although not spectacular in 46 games.
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. An injury to Edward Cabrera has further weakened a starting rotation that is wobbling badly already. At this point, getting any kind of win would be huge to offer temporary relief, even if for just a day.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Monday, May 25 at 12:35pm CT on Marquee.
- Tuesday, May 26 at 5:40pm CT on Marquee.
- Wednesday, May 27 at 5:40pm CT on Marquee.
- Thursday, May 28 at 5:40pm CT on Marquee.
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | ERA | W/L | FIP | K/BB |
| 5/25 | Ben Brown | 26 | R | 2.09 | 1-2 | 2.36 | 3.33 |
| Carmen Mlodzinski | 27 | R | 3.96 | 4-3 | 2.98 | 2.59 | |
| 5/26 | Jordan Wicks | 26 | L | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Braxton Ashcraft | 26 | R | 2.89 | 3–2 | 3.16 | 4.06 | |
| 5/27 | Jameson Taillon | 34 | R | 5.20 | 2-4 | 6.46 | 2.61 |
| Bubba Chandler | 23 | R | 4.79 | 1–6 | 5.25 | 1.38 | |
| 5/28 | Colin Rea | 35 | R | 4.83 | 4-3 | 4.43 | 2.59 |
| Paul Skenes | 23 | R | 3.00 | 6-4 | 2.87 | 7.22 |
What to Watch For
- Jordan Wicks took Cabrera’s spot and will make his first MLB start since 2024 in Tuesday’s game.
- Look for recent call-ups Kevin Alcántara and Pedro Ramírez to get a start or two in the series.
- Ian Happ was benched Saturday and Sunday in the midst of a 5-for-42 stretch in which he has struck out 24 times.
