Pirates (Skenes) vs Cubs (Horton): 6/13/25, 1:20pm

[Brandon Glick]

Well, ain't this a fun matchup?

[Brian707]

Wind blowing in, runs will be a at a premium with Skenes on the mound

[WhyCantWeWin]

19 minutes ago, Brian707 said:

Wind blowing in, runs will be a at a premium with Skenes on the mound

Reverse jinx, PCA is going to hit a dong now

[Derwood]

Skenes is going to win the Cy Young with a losing record this year

[gflore34]

How great would it be if Horton dominating and not Skenes was the story of the game?  I'd like to see Horton minimize the mistakes, trust his stuff, including the change up, no more straight FB's down the middle. 

Just curious, does anyone know, since coming up, if the Cubs have missed a Skenes start in a Pirates series?  I'm guessing Skenes has faced the Cubs more than anyone else thus far in his career.

I know there's been some frustration with the lack of offense but, holy horsefeathers the Cubs have lately faced a truckload of good to great starting pitching - Gore, Skubal, Flaherty, Wheeler, Luzardo, Heaney, today Skenes, after finishing up with Abbott and Lodolo.  This might have something to do with the lack of offense.

Edited June 13, 2025 by gflore34

[Brian707]

12 minutes ago, Derwood said:

Skenes is going to win the Cy Young with a losing record this year

Off the top of my head that probably hasn't happened since Steve Carlton?

[Brian707]

14 minutes ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Reverse jinx, PCA is going to hit a dong now

I was at the game yesterday and said out loud that PCA struggles against lefties, and the next pitch DONG

[Derwood]

17 minutes ago, Brian707 said:

Off the top of my head that probably hasn't happened since Steve Carlton?

Only pitchers I see that have won it with a losing record have been relievers

[Bobson Dugnutt]

13 minutes ago, Brian707 said:

Off the top of my head that probably hasn't happened since Steve Carlton?

Carlton had some good seasons with losing records but not Cy Young. DeGrom and Felix are the closest examples of starters that I can find but they were each a game over .500.

[BKHoo]

Brewers traded for Andrew Vaughan?  Thats interesting. 

[gflore34]

28 minutes ago, Brian707 said:

Off the top of my head that probably hasn't happened since Steve Carlton?

Out of curiosity, I looked it up - Eric Gagne in 2003.

[PeanutPunch33]

I trust the numbers that say the Cubs are a top 2 offense in baseball, and the eye test says the same.  However, they do need to start beating some of these elite pitchers.  In the playoffs they will face a guy like this in almost every game.  Yamamoto, Senga, Cease, Webb and plenty of others.  It won't get any easier.  

[Tryptamine]

19 minutes ago, BKHoo said:

Brewers traded for Andrew Vaughan?  Thats interesting. 

Only because Civale asked for a trade following being moved to the bullpen after the Brewers brought up Misiorowksi into the rotation.

[bukie]

34 minutes ago, BKHoo said:

Brewers traded for Andrew Vaughan?  Thats interesting. 

Vaughn is a DH that hits like a pitcher. He's been in the minors since mid May because he was OPSing in the 500s, and has accumulated a total of -1.8 fWAR for his career.

That the White Sox thought he was a valuable piece for so long speaks more of the White Sox complete ineptitude.

[mul21]

51 minutes ago, BKHoo said:

Brewers traded for Andrew Vaughan?  Thats interesting. 

As said, much more of a "Hey, you guys take our guy we don't have a spot for and we'll take yours" from both teams.  Sox have a backlog at first after bringing Elko up and Vaughan wasn't likely in theri plans going forward.

[soccer10k]

1 hour ago, gflore34 said:

Just curious, does anyone know, since coming up, if the Cubs have missed a Skenes start in a Pirates series?  I'm guessing Skenes has faced the Cubs more than anyone else thus far in his career..

This is our 6th series against Pittsburgh since he got called up and will be the 6th time we’ve faced him. He’s faced the Cards 5 times (and is 0-4 against them, the only team he’s lost to more than once) though he didn’t face them in one of the four series last year.

[UMFan83]

1 hour ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

I trust the numbers that say the Cubs are a top 2 offense in baseball, and the eye test says the same.  However, they do need to start beating some of these elite pitchers.  In the playoffs they will face a guy like this in almost every game.  Yamamoto, Senga, Cease, Webb and plenty of others.  It won't get any easier.  

Would it help if I told you that Skenes shortest start this year and 2nd most ERs given up was his start against the Cubs in May?

Edit: also least strikeouts and most walks

Edited June 13, 2025 by UMFan83

[Bull]

1 hour ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

I trust the numbers that say the Cubs are a top 2 offense in baseball, and the eye test says the same.  However, they do need to start beating some of these elite pitchers.  In the playoffs they will face a guy like this in almost every game.  Yamamoto, Senga, Cease, Webb and plenty of others.  It won't get any easier.  

I agree. This is the time to do it too. Make Skenes hate facing the Cubs so much that he will sign with them in ... checks notes ... sigh...2030

[PeanutPunch33]

13 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Would it help if I told you that Skenes shortest start this year and 2nd most ERs given up was his start against the Cubs in May?

Edit: also least strikeouts and most walks

I'm aware... take out that game and he's 2-0 in 4 starts vs. the Cubs with a sub 2 ERA.  1 game in May doesn't change the point I'm making, which is about their recent sluggish ABs vs really good pitchers in general, not just Skenes 

Edited June 13, 2025 by PeanutPunch33

[BigbadB]

What are the chances the weather interferes with this game? 

[UMFan83]

3 minutes ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

I'm aware... take out that game and he's 2-0 in 4 starts vs. the Cubs with a sub 2 ERA.  1 game in May doesn't change the point I'm making, which is about their recent sluggish ABs vs really good pitchers in general, not just Skenes 

Maybe it's because they're good pitchers?  Like that's what good starters are supposed to do, make good hitters look bad.  Sometimes the hitters win out but elite pitching is very tough to hit.

[PeanutPunch33]

6 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Maybe it's because they're good pitchers?  Like that's what good starters are supposed to do, make good hitters look bad.  Sometimes the hitters win out but elite pitching is very tough to hit.

I mean, the Cubs have struggled lately vs guys that aren't even elite.  You think Flaherty is elite?  Hell the journeyman from last night was an out away from 6 IP and 2 ER.

I'm just saying that they need to show a bit more against the type of pitchers they will see in October.  It's fair criticism to say that the only person on this team that can consistently slug vs LHP is Seiya, and maybe Tucker 

[cubfansince77]

2 hours ago, Brian707 said:

I was at the game yesterday and said out loud that PCA struggles against lefties, and the next pitch DONG

Funny how that can work. I said to myself while watching the game: "This kid is gonna hit another HR against this mofo" and low and behold he did. Doesn't happen too often obviously. 

[cubfansince77]

As for today's game I'd love to see PCA and Nico and even Dansby make Skenes field his position. Lay some bunts down and see if the big man can get off the mound and handle his business.

[mul21]

5 minutes ago, cubfansince77 said:

As for today's game I'd love to see PCA and Nico and even Dansby make Skenes field his position. Lay some bunts down and see if the big man can get off the mound and handle his business.

Nico, maybe, the other two, absolutely not.