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Today · 2:20 PM ETLineup pendingNL Central

Pittsburgh Pirates   vs   Chicago Cubs Preview

September 13, 2026

Starting pitchers, lineup status, recent form and weather at Wrigley Field.

2:20 PM ET · Wrigley FieldStats availableLineups not confirmed
T-Score57
Pittsburgh Pirates
74–74 · 3rd NL Central · T-Score 57
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First pitch 2:20 PM ET
Chicago Cubs
82–66 · 2nd NL Central · T-Score 67
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T-Score67
First pitch 2:20 PM ET

Matchup at a glance

PitcherStat calculation
CategoryComparisonWhy
Starting pitcherEvenBoth starters enter with comparable season profiles; neither holds a meaningful statistical advantage.
Offense vs handCubsChicago has produced the stronger offense against right-handed pitching.
Team strengthCubsChicago leads 67–57 in T-Score, driven by stronger offense.
WeatherLow impact67°F, wind 6 mph, no precipitation expected at first pitch.

Starting pitchers

PIT
Bubba Chandler RHP
Bubba Chandler
Pittsburgh Pirates
2026 season (MLB rank among qualified starters)
ERA
4.25
125th
WHIP
1.34
124th
K/9
8.18
112th
BB/9
4.50
201st
P-Score55i
FIP
4.09
HR/9
0.82
44th
OPS/R
0.581
IP
142.0
2026 ERA splits
Home ERA4.27
Road ERA4.23
Last 5 starts
CHC
Matthew Boyd LHP
Matthew Boyd
Chicago Cubs
2026 season (MLB rank among qualified starters)
ERA
4.03
107th
WHIP
1.22
74th
K/9
7.08
167th
BB/9
2.72
68th
P-Score52i
FIP
4.40
HR/9
1.23
123rd
OPS/R
0.752
IP
109.1
2026 ERA splits
Home ERA5.40
Road ERA2.95
Last 5 starts
How the starters differ
·Boyd walks 1.8 fewer batters per nine innings.
·Chandler owns a 8.2 K/9 compared with Boyd's 7.1.
·Chandler allows the lower home-run rate: 0.82 vs 1.23 per nine.
·Chandler enters with a 4.23 road ERA; Boyd owns a 5.40 ERA at home.
Advanced starter metricsERA−, FIP, WAR, career vs opponent
MetricChandlerBoydNote
ERA−9999Park- and league-adjusted; 100 is average.
FIP4.094.40
WAR2.11.2Season value.

How the lineups match the starters' pitch mix

Pitch data coverage: partial. Usage and velocity only.

Chandler arsenal
PitchUsageVelo
Four-seam48%98.4
Slider20%91.0
Changeup15%91.6
Sinker8%97.8
Sweeper4%87.7
Curveball4%86.6
Boyd arsenal
PitchUsageVelo
Four-seam44%92.7
Changeup27%78.6
Slider15%83.0
Curveball13%73.1
Sinker1%91.9

Team OPS vs opposing starter's hand

Pirates vs LHP (Matthew Boyd)
23rd
in MLB
0.686OPS
.600.700.800.9001.000
Cubs vs RHP (Bubba Chandler)
3rd
in MLB
0.758OPS
.600.700.800.9001.000

Lineups

Lineup pendingOrder from the stored snapshot; treat as unofficial until the card is filed.Full lineup page
Lineups not announced

Neither club has posted a batting order. Handedness composition, H-Score leaders and batter-vs-pitcher samples appear here as soon as the first order is filed — typically two to three hours before first pitch.

Team comparison

ResultsPITPIT·CHCCHC
+21412th
Run differential
+3153rd
74–74 Record82–66
Last 10 games
Pittsburgh Pirates (0–0)
Chicago Cubs (0–0)
2026 head-to-head
Season Series
0—0
0 Games Played

Frequently asked

Who is starting for the Pirates?+
Bubba Chandler is listed as the starter.
Who is starting for the Cubs?+
Matthew Boyd is listed as the starter.
What time does the game start?+
2:20 PM ET at Wrigley Field.
Where is the game being played?+
Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.
Are the lineups confirmed?+
Not yet. Orders appear here when they are posted.
How do the starters compare on P-Score?+
Bubba Chandler is at 55; Matthew Boyd is at 52. P-Score is PitcherStat's 0–100 season index for qualified starters.