Pirates

Pirates Preview: Bucs Begin Homestand With First-Place Cubs

Published

4 weeks ago

April 29, 2025

Photo provided by Eddie Provident

The Pittsburgh Pirates dropped a rubber match against the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-2 on Sunday afternoon to cap off a 3-3 road trip.

Andrew McCutchen and Enmanuel Valdez hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning but the offense went flat after that. The Dodgers, meanwhile, poured it on against Bailey Falter and Kyle Nicolas.

After a day off on Monday, the Pirates (11-18) are back at PNC Park to face the National League Central leading Chicago Cubs (17-12) on Tuesday night.

First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and 93.7 The Fan.

Weather

Cloudy skies with a chance for storms later in the night. Temperatures in the low-70s with winds SW at 14-16 mph.

LHP Andrew Heaney (2-1, 1.72 ERA) Will Start for the Pirates

Heaney brings a stretch of 16.1-consecutive scoreless innings into Tuesday’s start against the Cubs.

The left-hander is 2-0 in his last two starts after throwing 7.1-shutout innings against the Nationals on Apr. 17 and blanking the Angels in 6.0 innings pitched on Wednesday.

Heaney’s 1.72 ERA ranks sixth in baseball and is third in the National League behind the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1.06) and the Padres’ Nick Pivetta (1.20).

Heaney has only faced the Cubs once in his career and allowed four runs in 6.0 innings.

LHP Shota Imanaga (2-1, 3.18 ERA) vs. Will Start for the Cubs

Imanaga only allowed two total runs in 18.1 innings across his first three starts of the season but has struggled some of late.

Over his last three starts, Imanaga has been charged with 10 earned runs in 15.2 innings pitched (5.74 ERA) and has allowed six home runs.

In his last start against the Dodgers a week ago, the left-hander allowed five runs on seven hits (three homers) in 5.2 innings.

Imanaga has dominated the Pirates in his brief career. In 14.0 innings, he has yet to allow a run on four hits with 14 strikeouts.

Cubs Hitters vs. Heaney

Justin Turner: 5 for 19, two home runs, two RBI, two walks, two strikeouts
Kyle Tucker: 1 for 12, one home run, two RBI, seven walks, one strikeout
Dansby Swanson: 1 for 2, one double, two RBI, one strikeout

Pirates Hitters vs. Imanaga

Bryan Reynolds: 1 for 6, one strikeout
Jared Triolo: 1 for 5, one walk, four strikeouts
Tommy Pham: 2 for 3
Joey Bart: 1 for 3
Oneil Cruz: 0 for 3, two strikeouts
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 0 for 3
Enmanuel Valdez: 0 for 3, one strikeout

Tidbits

McCutchen and Valdez gave the Pirates their first back-to-back home runs of the season. The last time the Pirates hit back-to-back home runs was when Nick Gonzales and Bryan Reynolds did against the Yankees last year on Sept. 27.
McCutchen’s home run was one of four hits in the game for him. It was his first four-hit game since May 4, 2022 while with the Brewers.
Heaney ranks second in baseball and leads National League starters with a 0.77 WHIP. His .165 batting average against is second in the NL and fourth in baseball.