After a travel day off on Thursday, the Philadelphia Phillies have landed in Chicago, Illinois, for a three-game showdown with the Chicago Cubs. The teams are headed in polar opposite directions in the early season, with the Phillies owning a 4-6 record over their last 10 games, while the Cubs are soaring at 7-3.
While the Phillies were swept out of Queens by the Mets with an extra-innings loss, the Cubs captured a two-game sweep of the defending World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, including an extra-innings win on Tuesday. If the Phillies hope to snap their losing skid, their pitching staff will have to rise to the occasion to stop a Cubs offense averaging nearly eight runs per game over this current eight-game homestand.
Phillies-Cubs Pitching Matchups
Taijaun Walker (1-1, 2.29 ERA) vs. Colin Rea (0-0, 1.32 ERA)
Taijaun Walker returns to the mound on Friday afternoon seeking his second win on the season. Walker has averaged between five innings per start this season while allowing a little more than two runs per game. Outside of the Atlanta Braves, Walker has faced underwhelming lineups from Miami, San Francisco, and Colorado. The day game at Wrigley Field provides a massive test against a solid lineup for the 6-foot-4 starter.
Right-hander Colin Rea takes the ball in a bullpen game for the Cubs. The 6-foot-5 righty has averaged less than three innings per appearance this season. Despite the diminished total number of innings, Rea has dominated hitters by surrendering fewer than three hits per game. The Phillies must showcase patience in the batter’s box against Rea. The righty has consecutive five-strikeout games against formidable Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks lineups.
First pitch is 2:20 pm EST.
Jesus Luzardo (2-0, 2.08 ERA) vs. Ben Brown (2-1, 4.57 ERA)
“Zeus” looks to continue his superhuman start to the season for the Phillies. Nearly every start from Jesus Luzardo since his offseason acquisition from Miami has been a quality start, a statistic that requires a starter to pitch at least six innings and give up less than three runs. Luzardo has pitched only five innings twice this season, including allowing three runs to the San Francisco Giants on April 15. As it stands, Luzardo has three quality starts in 2025 while averaging six innings per game with five hits allowed, seven strikeouts, and a little more than one run per appearance.
Ben Brown struggled to open the season with a 7.71 earned run average (ERA) after his first three starts for Chicago. His last two appearances trimmed his ERA down to a manageable 4.57 after ten innings. Like Rea, if the Phillies can show discipline at the plate on Saturday, they could cause issues for Brown, who has walked nearly three batters per appearance this season. Brown owns a 3.86 ERA over 12 MLB starts for the Cubs.
First pitch is 4:05 pm EST.
Sun – Aaron Nola (0-5, 6.43 ERA) vs. Jameson Tallion (1-1, 4.73 ERA)
Aaron Nola will take his first steps to correcting his difficult 2025 season on Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field, one of sports’ most iconic venues. The longball issues that have plagued Nola during his career have resurfaced significantly this season. While he usually gives up those home runs with clear base paths, this season, Nola has allowed several multi-run home runs. “I’m 0-5 with a six-and-a-half ERA,” Nola said per Matt Gelb of The Athletic. “It’s pretty brutal.” The veteran pitcher must keep the ball inside the ballpark if the 31-year-old Phillies’ starter hopes to claim his first win in 2025. The Cubs are second in the NL with 38 home runs, an average of 1.5 round-trippers per game.
Opposing Nola will be 33-year-old Jameson Tallion, a nine-year MLB veteran with a 3.91 ERA over 1,100 innings. Tallion has allowed 14 runs in 26 innings for a 4.73 ERA over five starts this season. Despite the inflated ERA, the former #2 overall pick from the 2010 amateur draft has lasted at least five innings in most of his starts this season for Chicago. Taillon has averaged nearly six strikeouts per appearance over his last four outings while limiting opponents to two runs per start. The 6-foot-5 righty’s ERA is inflated after a season-opening six earned runs allowed to the Diamondbacks on March 28.
First pitch is at 7:00 p.m. EST. ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball crew will broadcast the game nationally. It is one of three games scheduled on the network for the Phillies.
Recent Series History Between the Phillies and the Cubs
The Phillies won four of the last five series against the Cubs, including a road sweep at Wrigley Field in June 2023. This was revenge for the Phillies, who lost all six games to Chicago during the 2022 campaign. Last season, the Phillies claimed a 2-1 series win over the July 4th mid-week holiday.
The Phillies are nearing 1,200 road contests in the Windy City’s iconic stadium, with this season’s three-game set serving as games 1,195-1,197. Wrigley Field was built in 1914 and has hosted the Cubs for over a century. It is the second-oldest MLB stadium behind Boston’s Fenway Park, which opened in 1912.
Other Notes
According to Philly Sports Network’s Cory Nidoh, Brandon Marsh is expected to begin his rehab assignment with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs this weekend. Marsh is scheduled to bat second behind Phillies prospect Justin Crawford tonight in Triple-A. Former Phillies prospect pitcher Vince Velasquez will be the opposing starter for the Columbus Clippers, a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians.
Even though Cristopher Sanchez wasn’t scheduled to appear in this series, his exit after two innings on Tuesday against the Mets caused concern among the fan base.
According to Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, Philly fans do not need to worry. “He feels good, the trainer feels good about it,” the long-time MLB executive said. “We’ll wait and see, but right now, I feel very comfortable that he looks like he’s OK.”
Sanchez is scheduled to play catch at Wrigley Field on Friday, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
