CHICAGO -- With a new vibe around the team and three weekend games in a place where the Pirates haven’t won a series since 2014, a strong showing in Chicago could conceivably deliver some sort of statement.
Bryan Reynolds isn’t going there.
Sure, the Pirates outlasted the Cubs, 2-0, at Wrigley Field on Friday, capitalizing once they ran Shota Imanaga’s pitch count high enough to get him out of the game. They also got some excellent pitching and a clutch, two-run homer from Reynolds.
But the Pirates are striking a balance with perspective. It was one game. And there’s no need for some external validation.
“We don’t have to prove anything,” Reynolds said. “We don’t have to prove that we’re different. We know what we are. We know we’re a good team. We don’t need to keep tracking backward and talking about previous years.”
Fair enough. At 8-5, these Pirates are giving us plenty to discuss in 2026 -- and for the series opener, Reynolds played a central part.
After Imanaga dominated the Pirates for six scoreless, hitless frames, Cubs manager Craig Counsell went to his bullpen -- Imanaga had thrown 100 pitches -- and the Pirates pounced.
Ryan O’Hearn singled off Caleb Thielbar before Reynolds turned on a first-pitch curveball, driving it over the left-field wall. Reynolds is now 4-for-4 in his career against Thielbar with four RBIs.
It was the 13th homer for the Pirates this season. Only five MLB teams have more.
“There was no panic in the dugout,” Reynolds said. “That’s just kinda how the games go sometimes. Sometimes the starter’s got your number, and when he comes out, whether you say it or not, you probably get a little bit of confidence.”
That was hardly the only storyline in this one. Here are my nine observations:
1. It’s a good thing the Pirates made Imanaga throw a lot of pitches. He continued what he’s done through his career and handled them well.
In five games, the lefty has worked 32 innings while allowing 13 hits and just one earned run. He’s walked seven and struck out 32. But the Pirates made him work and eventually got into the Cubs bullpen, which has been mediocre (4.47 ERA, 20th in MLB).
2. On the flip side, the Pirates bullpen shined, specifically Mason Montgomery, who got two big outs in relief of Carmen Mlodzinski.
Sixth inning, one out. After striking out center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, Montgomery walked catcher Carson Kelly. That loaded the bases. The Cubs brought in Matt Shaw to pinch hit, and Montgomery blew a 100.1-mph four-seamer past Shaw for the strikeout.
Montgomery began the game with a 9.64 ERA, but when he’s been on, he’s been really good. There’s triple-digit velocity and some really nasty secondary stuff.
“Huge spot,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “Probably one of the biggest spots in the game.”
After Montgomery, Isaac Mattson, Gregory Soto and Dennis Santana locked it down in the seventh, eighth and ninth. Overall, the Pirates bullpen did not allow a hit in 3 2/3 innings, walking four and striking out four.
Santana closed for his first save of the season.
3. Friday's outing reinforced the faith the Pirates have in Mlodzinski as a starter -- and why they believe he can handle this role.
The right-hander worked 5 1/3 innings, working around six hits and three walks. Mlodzinski didn’t enjoy a 1-2-3 inning until the fifth but was able to navigate trouble, inducing double plays to end the first and second.
The contact he allowed was minimal. Mlodzinski threw 81 pitches, 48 for strikes and hasn’t allowed a home run in 61 innings, the best such stretch in the Majors.
4. Against the Cubs specifically Mlodzinski lowered his ERA to 1.40 ERA across 10 games (25 2/3 innings). That’s the fourth-best among active MLB pitchers against the Cubs (min. 20 innings).
“Honestly, can't say there's any reason to it,” Mlodzinski said when asked about his success against the Cubs. “I think Chicago is just a cool city. There are good vibes here.”
5. There was some consternation when the Pirates elected to start the season with Mlodzinski in the rotation. Guessing much of that has died down by now. It should.
Through three starts, Mlodzinski has pitched to a 2.51 ERA, striking out 15 over 14 1/3 innings. The right-hander allowed just one extra-base hit. He’s certainly been holding up his end of the bargain.
“Last year was pretty ugly at this time, so it probably could only go up, honestly,” Mlodzinski said. “I don't want to say that too early right now. But yeah, I think I've grown as a player.
“I’m definitely in a better spot than last year.”
6. A couple of solid defensive plays in this one, though only one that resulted in an out. Oneil Cruz made a sliding catch coming in on a ball to rob third baseman Alex Bregman in the fourth. The next batter, left fielder Ian Happ (Mt. Lebanon) hit a grounder to the right of second base that Konnor Griffin dove and caught. Unfortunately for the Pirates, Happ beat Griffin’s throw by a step. It still showed off Griffin’s impressive range at shortstop.
7. The Pirates had another incident where communication will need to be emphasized, this time in the third inning. Second baseman Nico Hoerner hit a ball Nick Yorke thankfully caught. But not without Yorke nearly bumping into O’Hearn.
8. Cruz singled on a 107.1-mph line drive to center field in the seventh inning. That extended Cruz’s hitting streak to nine games, continuing his strong start to the season.
It’s the second-longest hitting streak of Cruz’s career. Cruz is batting .333 (13-for-36) with two doubles, four home runs, 12 RBIs and seven runs scored during the streak.
It was another hit for Cruz against a lefty, too. He’s now 8-for-15 (.533) when facing southpaws this season -- three fewer hits than all of last year.
9. This is the dads’ trip, as you know. Reynolds had a good line about getting live feedback from his father, Greg, in the clubhouse after the game.
“Good thing I hit a homer,” Reynolds said. “Otherwise he’d be screaming at me. Nah, I’m just kidding.”
Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH.