Jordan Wicks Set for Tuesday Start in Pittsburgh
Jordan Wicks is scheduled to make his first start of 2026 for the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday in Pittsburgh, stepping in for injured Edward Cabrera. The assignment sends the left-hander back to PNC Park, where he made his major-league debut in 2023 and opened his career with a 10-6 win over the Pirates.
PNC Park Returns
Wicks said Monday he still remembers the first inning of that debut. He gave up a home run to the first batter he faced, then settled in after a mound visit and retired all 15 Pirates batters he saw from that point forward.
He struck out nine in five innings and walked away as the winning pitcher. The start began a stretch that turned heads immediately: he also won his next two starts, making him the first Cubs pitcher since 1901 to open his career with victories in his first three starts.
Wicks After The Injuries
The trip back to a starting assignment has not been simple. In 2024, Wicks went 2-4 with a 4.58 ERA in 10 starts while missing six weeks with a strained left forearm and 10 weeks with a strained right oblique.
Last season, he made only eight appearances, all in relief. He was then shut down in spring training with irritation in the radial nerve in his left forearm before being cleared to pitch for Triple-A Iowa on April 18.
Triple-A Tune-Up
His build-up in Iowa tracked the same pattern of gradual progress. Wicks did not go more than four innings in any of his first five starts there, then reached six innings and five innings in his last two outings before the call-up.
He described the return to Pittsburgh as personal as much as professional, saying, “Me and my wife talk about it all the time,” and adding, “Such a cool park to debut in, such a nice stadium, such a nice field.” He also said, “I know the place was packed that night. I remember that because I gave up a homer to the first batter of the game. It got loud in a hurry.”
The Cubs need Wicks to hold a rotation spot after a season split between injuries and relief work. This start gives him a chance to show that his arm is ready for longer outings again, and it comes in the same park where his major-league story first took off.
