The Chicago Cubs began their divisional slate for the 2025 season on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates and their showing did not disappoint. A rare scheduling change hit the Cubs this year in the fact that they played nearly 30 games to begin the campaign against opponents outside of the NL Central. Getting 20 of their first 29 matchups against the Dodgers, Diamondbacks or Padres was not ideal for Chicago whatsoever, but they handled those tests well.
They finished 11-9 against those three NL West opponents, which includes 4-3 season series wins against the Diamondbacks and Dodgers. Despite Los Angeles being banged up, the Cubs took care of business after struggling mightily against them in their two-game series in Tokyo to open the 2025 season. No matter who has been on the mound for the Cubs or who they have faced, the group has found a way to win games in various ways.
Even though it is early in the season, the vibe around this current roster is different than what fans have been used to in recent years. Wrigley Field has already been a rocking environment and we haven’t even gotten to the summer yet. While there are still hurdles that this group needs to clear and areas on the roster that need to be shored up, they continue to excite every night. The Cubs accomplished a feat as a team on Tuesday night that they had not done in over a decade.
The Chicago Cubs did not strikeout on Tuesday against Pittsburgh
The Chicago Cubs did not strike out once in Tuesday night’s 9-0 victory at PNC Park in the series opener against the Pirates. This has not been done since 2013, and the order put together by manager Craig Counsell was all over Pittsburgh left-hander, Andrew Heaney. The Cubs first struck in the fourth frame on a two-run homer off the bat of Carson Kelly, who has been on fire to start the year. The new catcher leads the team with seven long balls on the season and has driven in 21 runs to go with his eye-popping .370 batting average.
Pete Crow-Armstrong added a two-run blast of his own an inning later, continuing the tear that he has been on as well to begin 2025. Chicago sealed the deal by scoring in the final three innings by posting a three spot in the seventh and a run in each of the last two frames. The Cubs have been much more disciplined at the plate in general this season, but being on point by not striking out at all on Tuesday is extremely impressive.
The lineup shuffling definitely could have played a factor in this
Counsell decided to change up the Cubs lineup for the series opening against the Pirates, and it worked wonders. He moved Dansby Swanson down to the eight-hole in the order while elevating Kelly to the cleanup spot. Because of the veteran catcher getting moved up, Michael Busch slid down to the five-hole in the process.
Busch finished 1-4 in the game, and Kelly’s home run to get the scoring started made Counsell’s decision look like a wise one. Swanson getting moved down was the big story through it all. The Cubs’ highly paid shortstop was not getting it done in the middle of the order so far this season, and he desperately needed a change at the plate. He too homered on Tuesday and the coaching staff is hoping this is the start of Swanson breaking out of his slump.
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