Cole, Hendricks square off as Cubs host Pirates (Apr 14, 2017)
CHICAGO -- If history is any guide, Gerrit Cole's start comes along at just the right time for the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
The right-hander, now in his fifth season, has an 8-2 record and 3.00 ERA against the Cubs in 11 career starts. He split a pair of 2016 outings as Chicago won the NL Central on the way to a World Series title.
Cole returns to Wrigley Field in better shape than in an injury-plagued 2016 season that included three trips to the disabled list and a mid-September shutdown due to right elbow inflammation.
"(He's) very athletic on the mound, very focused," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "(He's) appreciative of the health. I think that's one thing that I love watching players when they go through (injuries) -- the perseverance, the challenge, the rehab and then they realize the different walk they can have once they're healthy again.
"I love the stuff that's coming out of his arm."
While Cole appears in good health, the Pirates (3-6) have been struggling.
Pittsburgh suffered a three-game sweep by the Reds this week and a 4-3 Thursday loss as the Red Sox rallied with three runs in the eighth inning in a Fenway Park makeup.
Cole gave up five runs on seven hits in a five-inning outing on April 3 at Boston. In his second start on April 9 against Atlanta, he worked six innings and allowed three runs on eight hits but had no decision in a 6-5 Pirates victory.
Pittsburgh faces a Cubs team that remains every bit as good as the group that broke a 108-year drought with last season's World Series triumph.
The Pirates will go up against right-hander Kyle Hendricks, who had a Cy Young-worthy 2016 season (16-8 record and NL-low 2.13 ERA) and makes his second start of the new season.
Hendricks also has been successful against the Pirates, with a 3-1 record and 3.55 ERA in seven starts. He has not allowed a run in his last 15 innings against Pittsburgh, including going six scoreless innings in his last start against the Pirates on Sept. 26, 2016.
The Cubs won Hendricks' last five starts. He's 3-0 with a 3.25 ERA in that span.
Can Hendricks, who worked six innings and allowed four earned runs in his season-opening win at Milwaukee on April 8, get even better?
"I learned so much last year," Hendricks recently told ESPN. "I want to use that information. It's there. I just have to let it come through. Yes, I think I can be better."
Hendricks owns a career 2.92 ERA, third among all active pitchers behind Clayton Kershaw (2.37) and Jacob deGrom (2.74).
After the hoopla surrounding the raising of championship banners on Monday and a World Series ring ceremony on Wednesday, the Cubs now look forward to resuming the routine of a baseball season.
Following Friday's finale of the three-game Dodgers series, the homestead continues with three games against the Pirates and three more against the Milwaukee Brewers.
"The celebration is over," Cubs starter John Lackey said this week. "Now it's time to start working on another one. We've had so many weird things going on -- all of the ceremonies. Now guys are ready to settle in and get back into our routine."
