The set-up: The Chicago Cubs' home opener is always a special occasion on the North Side. The Cubs are off a a 3-0 shutout in Milwaukee on Sunday, giving them three wins in their four-game series at Miller Park. The Cubs are 5-4 on the season and will sure be happy to return home for the first time this season, after going 48-33 and 57-24 in 207 and 2016, respectively. The Cubs make their 2018 debut at Wrigley Field Monday afternoon against the red-hot (and surprising) Pittsburgh Pirates.Pittsburgh earned wild card bids in three straight years (2013-2015), before going 78-83 in 2016 and 75-87 in 2017. The Pirates began 2018 in a new era, without their MVP center fielder and No. 1 starting pitcher. Perennial All-Star Andrew McCutchen was dealt to San Francisco, while right-hander Gerrit Cole was sent to Houston in the off-season. However, the Pirates are the early front-runners in the National League Central, having won seven of their first nine contests. Pittsburgh is benefiting from a balanced lineup, as six everyday starters are batting over .300. Pittsburgh ranks second in all of MLB in runs scored (6.44 per), team BA (.283) and OPS (.814).

The pitching matchup: Ivan Nova (0-1, 6.10 ERA) gets the nod for Pittsburgh up against Chicago's Tyler Chatwood (0-1, 1.50 ERA). Nova delivered a decent showing on Opening Day at Detroit (5 IP / 6 hits / 2 ERs)) but allowed five ERs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings, as things fell apart during a snowy sixth inning in an April 4 home loss against the Twins. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle calls Nova the dean of a mostly young rotation. Nova came to camp 10 pounds lighter and determined to improve on an up and down season that ended with a combined record of 1-6 over 10 starts (Pirates went 2-8) in August and September. He gave up a career-most 29 HRs while pitching a career-high 187 innings in 2017. Nova is 2-1 with a 4.09 ERA in four career starts against the Cubs. Tyler Chatwood spent the lastt five seasons with Colorado and is coming off a poor 2017 in which he was 8-15 with a 4.69 ERA. However, he was excellent in his Cubs debut, holding Cincinnati to one run on four hits with six strikeouts over six innings. The only thing missing was run support, as the 28-year-old suffered a tough-luck loss in a 1-0 defeat. Chatwood has posted a 1.50 ERA without recording a decision in two career starts against the Pirates.

The pick: The Cubs are the only team in the majors that has yet to play a home game. Chicago's offense has been spotty in the early going but the team managed to get through a nine-game road trip to start the season with a winning record and its pitching has been excellent of late, allowing two or fewer runs in four of the last five games. The Cubs will need some good pitching against the Pirates (see above), as they have scored 58 runs in nine contests, a total they didn't reach last season until their 17th game. Speaking of pitching, Pittsburgh Taillon became the first Pittsburgh starter this season to work at least into the seventh inning in Sunday's one-hit shutout over the Reds. I noted Nova's poor finish to the 2017 season above and will remind all here that after two starts in 2018, he owns a 6.10 ERA and 1.45 WHIP. Make the Cubs an 8* play