Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies (April 25, 2025): Game Thread, Live Updates, Commentary (3:30pm CT Start)
6th Inning
Top
LHP Caleb Thielbar (4.00 ERA) comes on in relief for the Cubs. He gives up a two-out double to Castellanos and then gets Kepler to pop out in foul territory.
5th Inning
Top
The Phillies can’t get anything going against Rea, who has now struck out seven batters and given up just three hits. He’s at 92 pitches, and I’m guessing his day is done.
Bottom
RHP Jose Ruiz (6.75 ERA) is in for the Phillies, and he promptly walks Swanson. Swanson steals second base on the second pitch to Hoerner. Swanson advances to third on a ground out by Hoerner.
Crow-Armstrong strikes out. Kelly walks on four pitches.
Berti up doing Berti things, grounds out to end the inning.
4th Inning
Top
Rea was cruising through the inning. After getting the first two outs, he gives up back-to-back hits. No damage after a lineout by Bohm.
Rea is at 80 pitches.
Bottom
Tanner Banks takes over on the mound for Walker. Berti leads off with a single to get things started for the Cubs.
Happ with a double, his second of the day, down the left field line. That scores Berti and the Cubs lead 3-0.
Tucker lines out to center field. Suzuki grounds out to third. Busch strikes out looking.
3rd Inning
Top
After a two-out single by Turner, Harper flies out to end the inning.
Rea is at 59 pitches.
Bottom
Suzuki drives the ball down the left field line for a leadoff double. Busch walks. Swanson with a bunt right back to Walker, who throws to third to get the lead runner on a force out. Not great.
Hoerner does not bunt. Instead, he singles to left to score Busch. Swanson to second base on the play. Cubs lead 2-0.
PCA is up with two on and one out. He hits a dribbler to Walker, and he throws PCA out at first. Both runners advance with Kelly up to bat.
With two outs and runners in scoring position, Kelly flies out to right.
Walker has 86 pitches through three innings. I’ll be surprised to see him come back out for the 4th. The Phillies bullpen has the 29th highest ERA in MLB (5.56).
2nd Inning
Top
Three up, three down for Rea. He’s at 45 pitches through two innings.
Bottom
PCA leads off with a single to right.
Kelly strikes out looking after a quality seven-pitch at-bat. PCA steals second on the play.
Berti up with one out drills a double into the left centerfield gap. Cubs lead 1-0 as PCA scores.
Happ strikes out looking. King Tuck strikes out.
Walker is at 59 pitches. He’ll be doing well to get through five innings.
1st Inning
Top
Rea walked the leadoff batter and then proceeded to strike out Turner and Harper. He walked Schwarber, which led to a mound visit from Tommy Hottovy. Castellanos bounced into a fielders’ choice to end the inning.
Bottom
Happ slaps a double down the left field line.
Tucker hits a lazy fly that falls in for a single in left. Happ advances to third. No outs.
Suzuki flies out to center. No runners advance.
Tucker gets called out stealing, and the Cubs are going to review the call. Looks safe to me. Call overturned on review. That’s King Tuck’s 8th stolen base on the year. And Busch walks on the next pitch from Walker. The bases are loaded.
Swanson strikes out on a full count.
Hoerner is battling with the bases loaded with eight foul balls. He eventually lines out to end the inning, leaving the bags juiced.
Walker threw 37 pitches in the 1st, which could serve the Cubs well if they get into the Phillies bullpen early (which we talked about today on The Rant Podcast).
The game is set to start at 3:30pm CT.
The game is currently in a weather delay. I am not a weatherman, but the forecast looks like conditions should clear up by 3pm CT, at the latest. Check back here for updates.
The Chicago Cubs open up a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies today at 1:20pm CT at historic Wrigley Field. Join the Cubs Insider crew in the comments below to banter about the game, big plays, and everything in between. We’ll also provide live updates right here.
Lineups
Chicago Cubs
- Ian Happ LF
- Kyle Tucker RF
- Seiya Suzuki DH
- Michael Busch 1B
- Dansby Swanson SS
- Nico Hoerner 2B
- Pete Crow-Armstrong CF
- Carson Kelly C
- Jon Berti 3B
Colin Rea SP
Philadelphia Phillies
- Bryson Stott 2B
- Trea Turner SS
- Bryce Harper 1B
- Kyle Schwarber DH
- Nick Castellanos RF
- Max Kepler LF
- J.T. Realmuto C
- Alec Bohm 3B
- Johan Rojas CF
