There has been some buzz surrounding the Pittsburgh Pirates in recent weeks. The team has found their groove after a brutal stretch that could have ruined their season before the summer even rolled around.
With a record of 32-35, the Pittsburgh Pirates are currently last in the NL Central. But, given how jammed up the National League is, they are only one game out of a Wild Card spot. But, there are currently seven teams within 3.5 games of the final spot in the postseason.
One hot streak and a team could pull away, cementing their status. The next few weeks will be paramount for several franchises, as a playoff berth is within reach. But, there is one thing the Pittsburgh Pirates possess that not many teams they are competing with do; dominant starting pitching.
That, in the opinion of Bradford Doolittle of ESPN, is a major reason why Pittsburgh should be aggressively filling their most glaring need ahead of the MLB trade deadline. One or two additions to this lineup and they could be in business.
“Of the 73 million possible scenarios for the NL wild-card race, the most exciting one might be the one in which the Pirates snag the 6-seed and then unleash Mitch Keller, Paul Skenes and Jared Jones on the playoff bracket. It can happen, too, as the Pirates have bounced back from what might have become a season-killing slump. For that to happen, the Bucs need some more cannon fodder because they are bottom-three in WOBA at three different lineup slots. Seeing this team make a surprise deadline splash would be really fun,” Doolittle wrote.
No team will want to face off against the trio of Mitch Keller, Paul Skenes and Jared Jones. Anything can happen with that group leading the charge, as they have shut down lineups over the last few weeks since Skenes was called up to make his professional debut.
Those three can keep the Pittsburgh Pirates alive. But, if they want to thrive, additions need to be made to the lineup. Too many spots have been a barren wasteland when it comes to offensive production this season.
Catcher has been a hole for a while as top prospect Henry Davis struggled this season. Veteran Yasmani Grandal hasn’t been much better at the plate. Connor Joe has cooled off since a hot start as well, creating an even bigger void at first base.
Nick Gonzales has helped stabilize things at second base. Positive regression for Ke’Bryan Hayes and Oneil Cruz would go a long way, as Bryan Reynolds has once again been the only consistent producer at the plate.
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