The Chicago Cubs host the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field on Friday, September 11, 2026, with first pitch set for 2:20 PM ET. Shota Imanaga takes the ball for Chicago against Pittsburgh's Wilber Dotel. With the regular season winding toward its final weeks, every game carries real weight in the standings, and a home date at Wrigley against a Pirates club that leans on Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz to do the offensive heavy lifting is exactly the kind of game the Cubs need to take care of business in front of their home crowd.

Probable Starters: Imanaga vs. Dotel

Shota Imanaga anchors this matchup for the Cubs. The left-hander has been one of Chicago's most reliable arms in the rotation, and getting him on the mound at Wrigley is a significant advantage. The Cubs' lineup gives him plenty of run-support potential, so the job is straightforward: keep Pittsburgh's offense in check and give this lineup a chance to work.

Pittsburgh counters with Wilber Dotel, a young arm who will be tested by a Cubs lineup with veteran presence throughout. This is a favorable setup for Chicago. Dotel has not faced this kind of lineup depth regularly, and if the Cubs' top of the order gets on base early, the pressure mounts quickly.

Chicago Cubs Lineup

• Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
• Seiya Suzuki, RF
• Michael Busch, 1B
• Alex Bregman, 3B
• Ian Happ, LF
• Nico Hoerner, SS
• Michael Conforto, DH
• Pedro Ramírez, 2B
• Carson Kelly, C

Pittsburgh Pirates Lineup

• Konnor Griffin, SS
• Oneil Cruz, CF
• Bryan Reynolds, DH
• Rafael Flores Jr., 1B
• Esmerlyn Valdez, RF
• Nick Gonzales, 2B
• Jake Mangum, LF
• Jared Triolo, 3B
• Henry Davis, C

Keys to Watch Against Pittsburgh

• Imanaga vs. Cruz and Reynolds: Oneil Cruz hitting second and Bryan Reynolds in the three-hole gives Pittsburgh a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat. Imanaga's ability to manage those two at-bats early will set the tone for the entire game.
• Early offense against Dotel: Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki at the top of the Cubs' order need to get on base. If they do, Bregman and Happ can do damage in the middle innings before Pittsburgh's bullpen takes over.
• Alex Bregman at cleanup: Hitting fourth, Bregman is the Cubs' primary run-producer in this lineup construction. His at-bats with runners on base are the most important offensive variable Chicago has today.
• Nico Hoerner's contact game: Hoerner hitting sixth keeps the lineup from having a dead zone. His ability to put the ball in play and move runners is critical to stringing together multi-run innings.

Prediction

This one sets up well for the Cubs. Imanaga is a legitimate advantage on the mound, and Pittsburgh's lineup, while dangerous at the top with Cruz and Reynolds, thins out quickly. Dotel is a question mark against a lineup this experienced. Expect Imanaga to go six-plus solid innings, and for the Cubs' middle of the order — Busch, Bregman, Happ — to provide enough run support to get the win. Cubs 5, Pirates 2.

Catch the game on Marquee Sports Network on TV or 104.3 The Score on the radio.