22 Matt Garza, SP

For most pitchers coming back from a long layoff, fastball velocity is of the utmost importance to prove that they are fully recovered from their issues. For Cubs starter Matt Garza, making his first start Tuesday against the Pirates since last July, it was not even a concern.

"That’s not a big deal to me,” Garza told ESPN.com. "As long as I get outs, it works. I watched Jamie Moyer forever get outs at 81 mph. Velocity is nothing. I felt great. It sucks I couldn’t keep going."

It was easy for Garza to say that after averaging a healthy 93.4 miles per hour with his fastball, while not allowing a hit on either his four or two-seam offerings. He threw just 81 pitches in the game, and Garza obviously hopes the team will take the reigns off moving forward.

"You think they’re going to take me out without a fight?" Garza said. "The competitive part of me doesn’t want to leave what I started."

Garza held the Pirates to just one hit in five innings of work. 

Cubs starting pitcher Matt Garza pitched more than well enough to win his first start of the season Tuesday, however the bullpen fell apart in a 5-4 loss.

Garza held the Pirates scoreless over five innings in his first appearance since recovering from a lat injury and a stress reaction in his elbow last season. He allowed just one hit, a single, while walking three batters. He threw 48 of his 82 pitches for strikes, while striking out five batters.

Garza did not allow his first hit until one out in the fifth inning, and he was taken out after finish the fifth inning with 82 pitches, as he was expected to be limited to just 90 pitches in the game.

Unfortunately, the 3-0 lead Garza left the game with would not hold up, thanks to the struggles of the bullpen, which allowed five runs in just the sixth inning.

Garza is set to make his next start in Cincinnati on Sunday. 

As expected, Cubs starting pitcher Matt Garza (elbow, lat) was activated off the 15-day disabled list Tuesday in order to make his season debut against the Pirates. Garza was 1-1 with a 1.17 ERA and .182 opponents' batting average in four rehab starts between Double-A and Triple-A.

Cubs starting pitcher Matt Garza is set to make his first start of the season Tuesday against the Pirates, and he is understandably excited to be over his lat injury.

"I'm happy I don't have to rehab again," he told the Chicago Sun-Times Saturday. "I just had to refresh some stuff from spring training, got the rust off. I feel great, ready to go Tuesday and can't wait."

Garza has not pitched in a major-league game since July 28, when he was shut down with a stress reaction in his right elbow. He admitted to being a bit worried when he first took the mound in Double-A Tennessee, his first competitive action in eight months.

"The only time I was nervous was when I made my first rehab in Tennessee," he said. "The first couple pitches I was a little worried, but then it was fine. Ever since then, there's been no doubt in my mind."

Garza threw six strong innings in his last rehab start, and he needed just 75 pitches to do so. The team expects him to be ready for a full workload quickly. 

The Cubs are expected to activate Matt Garza off the disabled list to start Tuesday at Pittsburgh opposite Wandy Rodriguez. Carlos Villanueva will move back to the bullpen, the Daily Herald reports.

Garza, who has been out all year with a lat injury, threw six scoreless innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Iowa.