Schwarber hopes to find groove as Cubs host Pirates (Jul 07, 2017)
CHICAGO -- Kyle Schwarber hopes two weeks at Triple-A Iowa helped fix his ailing swing.
The Chicago Cubs outfielder was activated Thursday and promptly was restored to the starting lineup, batting fifth in a makeup game against the Milwaukee Brewers. He went 0-for-4 in the Cubs' 11-2 loss.
Now he hopes to resume his role as a lineup fixture when the Cubs wrap up the season's first half with a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates that opens Friday at Wrigley Field.
"We hashed things out ... I feel like it went really well and had a really good plan going into it," Schwarber said of his time at Iowa, where he hit .343 with one double, four home runs, nine RBIs, nine runs and eight walks in 11 games. "I'm ready to clean the slate and get back to business."
Schwarber is batting .168 with 12 homers and 28 RBIs for the Cubs.
To make room for Schwarber, the Cubs placed right-handed starter John Lackey on the 10-day disabled list due to plantar fasciitis of the right foot.
The Pirates (40-46) lead the season series 5-4. They swept the Cubs in a three-game set in April and went 2-4 over two subsequent series.
The Cubs (42-43) continue to hover around the .500 mark, never more than two games above or four games below at any point this season. They are 23-18 at Wrigley Field.
Chicago will send Eddie Butler (4-3, 4.18 ERA) against Pirates rookie right-hander Trevor Williams (3-3, 4.67) in a rare fourth consecutive day game at Wrigley Field.
Williams will make his 18th appearance and 12th start of the year. He is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in three career appearances against the Cubs, all this year. He started and allowed three runs on five hits over five innings but had no decision in a 9-5 Pirates victory on June 16 at PNC Park.
On Sunday, Williams allowed two runs in six-plus innings but had a no-decision in his latest start as Pittsburgh fell 5-3 to the San Francisco Giants. He is 2-1 with a 3.81 ERA in his past 10 starts since giving up eight runs (six earned) over three innings in his first start on May 8 at Dodger Stadium.
Butler has faced Pittsburgh three times in his career, twice as a starter, and is 0-1 with a 3.84 ERA. He had a no-decision on June 16 at PNC Park, going 5 2/3 innings while giving up four runs in the Cubs' 9-5 victory.
He began 2017 with Triple-A Iowa and went 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in five starts before an early May call-up.
The balance of the weekend series heading into next week's All-Star break features Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta (8-6, 4.33 ERA) against Pirates righty Ivan Nova (8-6, 3.24) on Saturday, then Chicago left-hander Jon Lester (5-5, 3.94 ERA) against Pittsburgh right-hander Jameson Taillon (5-2, 2.73) on Sunday.
The Cubs and Pirates will wrap up the season series with seven games between Aug. 28 and Sept. 7.
