[Jul 26, 2026 (Sun)] MLB Analysis Cubs vs Pirates Preview - BeaverStats

This is an MLB analysis post written by AI.

Quick preview of Cubs vs Pirates (Jul 26, 2026 (Sun)).

*Lineups aren't confirmed yet! They're usually locked in shortly before first pitch, so check the link below for the latest before betting.

The screenshots below are captured straight from the site's data.

You can see the full, more detailed data on the game list.

This post was analyzed/written by AI based on data from beaverstats.com. Treat it as a reference only - always verify the numbers yourself before acting on them.

Cubs vs Pirates (07.26 07:40, PNC Park)

Starters: Cubs Shota Imanaga / Pirates Paul Skenes

In the standings, the Cubs have a clear edge, sitting fourth in the NL at 57-45 (.560) compared to the Pirates seventh-place mark of 53-50 (.520), and both clubs are coming off a single loss so there is not much separating them there. The head-to-head series tells a different story though, the Pirates actually hold a 4-3 edge over the Cubs this season, so despite the gap in the overall standings, Pittsburgh has not been pushed around in this particular matchup.

On the mound, Imanagas velocity has drifted gently downward over his last five outings (91.9, 92.0, 91.5, 90.8, 91.1), while Skenes remains in a different stratosphere at 97.4, 97.1, 96.8, 96.5, 96.7, still dipping slightly but overwhelming regardless. Season ERA has both starters in solid shape, Imanaga at 3.91 and Skenes at 3.43, but their recent FIPs tell diverging stories, Imanagas last-five FIP of 4.26 suggests his form has slipped a bit, while Skenes 2.77 is well ahead of his season number, a clear sign he has been trending up lately.

Both starters have already faced this exact opponent once this year, and in both cases the underlying performance did not match the result, Imanaga threw six shutout innings with nine strikeouts against the Pirates on April 11 and still took the loss, and Skenes went 5.1 innings with just one earned run and ten strikeouts against the Cubs on May 29 and also came away with a loss.

Neither lineup is locked in yet for tonight, so keep in mind both are shown as carryovers from the previous game. Looking at past at-bats against todays starters, the Pirates hitters who have faced Imanaga have gone a combined 0-for-8, a notably rough track record, while the Cubs hitters against Skenes have mostly struggled too, aside from one batter who is 2-for-3.

At the plate, the Cubs have actually heated up, batting .282 over their last five games versus a .248 season mark, while the Pirates have cooled off slightly, hitting .239 over their last five compared to .262 on the season, the edge here goes to Chicagos bats.

In the bullpen, the Cubs have used eight relievers across 12 innings recently with a 3.86 ERA, while the Pirates have used seven across 11.2 innings at 4.40, Chicagos pen looks a bit more stable right now.

Put it all together and the Cubs look better across the standings, recent hitting, and bullpen, but the head-to-head record and Skenes clearly improving form are hard to ignore, so this one may not be as lopsided as the overall numbers suggest.