Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh Pirates (2026-07-24). Matthew Boyd vs Jared Jones at PNC Park.

Starters — Boyd has a 4.15 ERA and 1.21 WHIP across 52 innings, with 8.83 K/9, 2.42 BB/9, and 1.04 HR/9. His last three starts were solid overall: 6 IP, 1 ER, 4 K, 1 BB; 6.1 IP, 4 ER, 3 K, 1 BB; and 6 IP, 0 ER, 7 K, 2 BB. The recent form points up, with two of his last three outings allowing one earned run or fewer. Jones brings a 4.05 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 40 innings, backed by 10.8 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, and 1.13 HR/9. His last three starts were 5 IP, 1 ER, 9 K, 1 BB; 6 IP, 0 ER, 8 K, 0 BB; and 4 IP, 1 ER, 6 K, 2 BB. Even with a listed down trend, the strikeout rate and run prevention in those three outings stand out.

Teams — Chicago enters with a .751 OPS, 520 runs scored, a 4.27 team ERA, and a 1.27 team WHIP. The Cubs are 5-5 over their last 10 games, and their profile is fairly balanced, with a respectable offense and pitching staff that has been close to league-average by the numbers provided. Pittsburgh has a .763 OPS and 543 runs scored, along with a 4.26 team ERA and 1.31 team WHIP. The Pirates are 6-4 in their last 10 games, and they hold a slight edge in offensive production, both in OPS and total runs, while their pitching metrics are very close to Chicago’s.