Both clubs have business to handle before they get here — Pittsburgh has 3 games against the White Sox and Chicago has 2 against Milwaukee — so whatever shape either team is in walking into Wrigley Friday could look different than it does today.
As of today, the Cubs have lost 2 straight after taking 2 of 3 from the Marlins sandwiched around a pair of one-off games with Milwaukee — split evenly at 3-2 over their last 5. Pittsburgh is on the other side of it, having won its last game to sit at 3-2 over the same stretch, with a 1-1 split against the Giants and having taken 2 of the first 3 against the Angels mixed in. Neither team is running particularly hot or cold; both are just grinding through the schedule.
The injury pictures matter more than the records right now. Pittsburgh is already without Mitch Keller for the year and just lost closer-caliber reliever Kirby Yates to a shoulder issue, while catcher Endy Rodriguez remains out long-term. Chicago is playing without Dansby Swanson and had Ian Happ out of the lineup with a knee issue as of this week — not disqualifying injuries, but exactly the kind of subtractions that can tip a low-scoring September game. Nothing about the board is live yet, so for now this is a matchup to watch develop rather than one to bet.