Opening Day: Bucs & Cubs On The Clock

Today’s Game: Play ball! Pittsburgh and Chicago start off the season at 2:20 at Wrigley Field. It will be carried by AT&T SportsNet, 93.7 The Fan, 100.1 FM/KDKA-1020 AM, and the Pirates Radio Network.

Lineup: Adam Frazier – 2B, Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B; Bryan Reynolds – LF, Colin Moran – 1B; Kevin Newman – SS; Gregory Polanco RF; Jake Stallings – C; Tony Alford – CF; Chad Kuhl – RHP. No surprises in personnel or order.

Pitchers: RHP Chad Kuhl is making his first Opening Day trip to the hill after most pundits were debating whether he start or head to the pen a month ago. Chad has been a punching bag for Chicago with a 2-6/5.82 slash in 11 starts, ouch. He only tossed eight innings in the spring, so it may turn into a bullpenning opener for Pittsburgh. RHP Kyle Hendricks is getting his second consecutive Opening Day call for Chi-Town. He’s spent his seven-year career as a Cubbie with a 69-48/3.12 slash in 174 starts. Hendricks has pitched well against the Buccos with a 3.02 ERA in 19 lifetime starts, but with a so-so 6-8 result. 

Notes:

• Opening Day 2021 – snowing and in the thirties in Chicago, and snowing and in the thirties in Pittsburgh…Santa should be throwing out the first pitch instead of the Easter Bunny.
• C Tony Wolters signed a MLB contract with the Cubs yesterday.
• The teams are off tomorrow and continue combat on Saturday. That begins a six-day stretch of games for the Pirates.