Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: Shota Imanaga vs. Paul Skenes
· Yahoo Sports
Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, July 12, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the second matchup of a three-game set against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park.
The Pirates are handing the ball to Paul Skenes, who has been on a bit of a hot streak as of late. Skenes has won each of his last three starts, including his most recent against the Cleveland Guardians on July 19. Skenes pitched seven innings, marking the fourth time he’s gone that far in a game this season. He gave up seven hits and one run in the team’s victory at Progressive Field.
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The Cubs will trot out Shota Imanaga, who is 6-8 with a 3.91 ERA so far this season. The 32-year-old is in his third season with the Cubs but is not pitching at the level he was at when he was an All-Star back in his rookie year in 2024. Despite that, Imanaga still has the stuff that can lead the Cubs to victory. He did so in his last start on July 19 against the Minnesota Twins, pitching seven innings, giving up six hits with no earned runs in a 10-1 rout at Wrigley Field.
Now, the Pirates are tasked with hitting off of Imanaga, which didn’t work out well for them in April when he faced them. Imanaga pitched six hitless innings, but the Pirates rallied late for a 2-0 victory.
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Shota Imanaga (6-8, 3.91 ERA) vs. Paul Skenes (9-8, 3.43 ERA)
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