Pirates Preview: Squaring Off With MVP-Front Runner Shohei Ohtani

The Pittsburgh Pirates (42-54)) embark on another West Coast road trip as the head to Anaheim to face the Los Angeles Angles (49-48) before heading south down to state for a three-game series with the San Diego Padres.

Right-hander Johan Oviedo will be on the mound for the Pirates, and he will need to be on his A-game as Pittsburgh Faces a near-impossible task. Oviedo will be opposite two-way sensation and American League MVP frontrunner Shohei Ohtani.

The game kicks off at 9:35 ET and will be aired on AT&T SportsNet.

Weather

Temperatures in the mid-to-low-80s and sunny skies on the West Coast for first pitch tomorrow.

The Pirates will send out RHP Johan Oviedo (3-10, 4.53 ERA)

Oviedo was brilliant in his last outing for the Pirates, holding the San Francisco Giants to a single run across seven innings, which tied a career-best. He also tied a career-mark with 10 strikeouts.

Though he’s pitched better than the record would show, Oviedo took the loss in six-straight games before a no decision against the Giants.  The right-hander hasn’t earned a win since May 19.

Oviedo has never faced the Angels, though he is 1-3 with a 3.95 ERA in nine career interleague games (eight starts).

The Angels will send out RHP Shohei Ohtani (7-5, 3.50 ERA)

Ohtani currently owns a 6.9 bWAR which is 1.7 points higher than the next closest in the league (Ronald Acuña Jr. — 5.2 bWAR.

The 2021 American League MVP has never faced Pittsburgh, but he is 3-3 with a 3.08 in 10 career inter-league starts.

The right-hander has struggled a bit in July, allowing nine earned runs in 10.0 innings (8.10 ERA) during the month of July.

Angels Hitters vs. Oviedo

• Eduardo Escobar: 1 for 6, one strikeout

Pirates Hitters vs. Ohtani

• No current Pirate has faced Ohtani

Tidbits

• On Wednesday, Jared Triolo extended his hitting streak to 12 games. Triolo becomes just the third Pirates player since 1900 to record a hitting streak of 12+ games within his first 17 career games, joining Jewel Ens in 1922 and Woody Jensen in 1931
• In Wednesday’s game Pirates’ rookies combined for six of the Pirates’ nine hits in their come-from-behind win.
• Since coming off the injured list, Ji-Man Choi has a .261 batting average to go along with an .873 OPS, a double, two home runs and six RBIs in eight games.

Links

Potential Draft Sleeper: WVU-Product Carlson Reed

Perrotto: Pirates Give Old Familiar Formula Yet Another Shot

Paul Skenes: High-Flying Pilot, Down-to-Earth Player

Perrotto: Pirates Just Keep Putting on That Happy Face

43-Year-Old Rich Hill Not Stuck in His Ways (+)

Pirates Officially Add Three Rookies to Big League Roster

Around The Network

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Jarry: After Injury-Plagued Year, I’m 100 Percent Healthy

Steelers Now: Cam Heyward’s Deal Looks Like Steal after Quinnen Williams Contract

Pittsburgh Sports Now: Pitt Interested In Northwestern Players Following the Firing of HC Pat Fitzgerald?