Baseballs are seeing increased drag during flight this season, The Athletic found in a review of MLB's available data. According to The Athletic's review, there has been more drag on baseballs in 2025 than in any of the other nine seasons that MLB has tracked this data, causing baseballs to come an average of four feet shorter than usual.

McCutchen will get a chance to catch his breath in the series finale after he had started in each of the Pirates' previous eight games. Alexander Canario will pick up a start in right field while Bryan Reynolds gets a day off from playing defense and occupies McCutchen's usual spot at designated hitter.