Cubs Come to Town: Chad Kuhl v Jon Lester, Lineup & Notes - Hayes Starts & Alford Activated

Game: The Bucs return home for a three-game set against the Cubbies. The match begins at 7:05 and will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan.

Lineup: Erik Gonzalez SS, Cole Tucker CF, Kevin Newman 2B, Josh Bell 1B, Jake stallings C, Colin Moran DH, Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B, Adam Frazier LF, Jose Osuna RF and Chad Kuhl P. After much ado, Ke'Bryan Hayes makes his debut.

Chad on the bump - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

Pitchers: RHP Chad Kuhl (1-1, 2.52) starts it off against LHP Jon Lester (2-1, 4.55). Whip is coming off a six-inning no-decision against the Cards (one run, four hits, four walks) and maybe stretched out enough to get into 90-pitch territory; he hasn't flung more than 84 tosses yet. He's faced Milwaukee twice this year, one from the pen and once as a starter, and given up a run in 8-2/3 IP, with fives across the board - hits, walks and whiffs. The 36-year-old Lester, after a hot start, is going through a three-game rough patch, giving up 14 runs on six homers and 26 hits in his last 14-2/3 frames. He's seen the Bucs a lot (24 games, 12-6/3.10) during his career, and earlier this month held the club to a run on four hits over six innings.

Notes: 

• The Pirates officially called up 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes and activated CF Anthony Alford for tonight's game. CF Jason Martin and LHP Brandon Waddell were sent back to Altoona. Hayes will wear #13, his dad's old number (Charlie wore #17 w/the Pirates; Carlos Garcia had #13 already). Alford will sport #6, late of Jarrod Dyson.
• Big Joe Musgrove, who has been throwing side sessions, will get an eyeball evaluation now that the team is back home. He could return to the roster in fairly short order if all goes well and the Pirates decide he'd be better off back in the saddle (though on a tight leash) rather than rehabbing. He was, according to Robert Murray of MLB Insider, very nearly a Blue Jay, but a possible deadline deal fell through.
  
• RHP Strickland Hunter, a Bucco farmhand in 2012 who now has parts of seven years in the show, was DFA'ed by the Mets. SS Jordy Mercer was also designated by the Yankees. On the other side of the coin, IF Dilson Herrera, traded in 2013 for Marlon Byrd, was called up by the Orioles.