Four Pirates Storylines to Follow in Second Half of Season

Thursday marks the eve of the start of the second half of the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

When the Pirates take the field against the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park on Friday night, they will do so with a 48-48 record. Despite the so-so results prior to the All-Star break, the Pirates are in third place in the National League Central — 6.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. The Bucs are also 1.5 game back in a crowded Wild Card race.

After an electric start to the season and an ensuing free fall, the Pirates were stuck in neutral for most of the first half of the year. From the beginning of May until their four-game winning streak to end the first half, the Pirates didn’t have a single three-game winning or losing streak.

But the Pirates start the second half with some momentum. Pittsburgh took two of three against the Brewers before completing a three-game sweep against the lowly Chicago White Sox just before the break.

As the Pirates reconvene in Pittsburgh following the break, here are four storylines to follow for the second half.

Will Pirates Finally Buy at Deadline?

Since Ben Cherington has taken over as general manager, the Pirates have yet to be buyers at the deadline. This year, however, it looks like that might chance.

While the Pirates could look to unload some salary — someone like Aroldis Chapman — the Pirates are right in the thick of the playoff race and have needs to address. Most notably, the Pirates need to add at least one bat to their lineup, preferably in the outfield.

If the Pirates end up trading Chapman, who is available on the market, adding a middle relief option to the bullpen could be wise. Teams can never have enough pitching down the stretch and in the postseason.

This year’s trade deadline is July 30 — 12 days away.

Can Offense Improve After Uninspiring First Half?

At the conclusion of the first half of the year, the Pirates rank 27th in baseball in batting average (.231), on-base percentage (.299) and OPS (.669) and are in the bottom 10 in both runs scored (402) and home runs (99).

Sure, a trade acquisition could provide a spark to the offense, but the Pirates will also be relying on better performances from some of their internal options.

Two players in particular who will need to turnaround their sluggish seasons are Jack Suwinski and Ke’Bryan Hayes. After leading the team in home runs and OPS in 2023, Suwinski has had an abysmal season this year. He’s hitting just .174 with nine homers through 83 games.

Hayes, meanwhile, is slashing a dreadful .244/.297/.311. Last year, the Pirates’ third baseman broke out in the second half and finished the season with respectable marks. Maybe he can do the same this year. His team needs it.

Prized Rookie Pitchers

Pirates rookie starters Paul Skenes and Jared Jones have taken the baseball world by storm, the former in particular.

Skenes has lived up to the gigantic expectations placed upon him when the Pirates took him No. 1 in last years draft. Through his first 11 starts to begin his career, Skenes is a perfect 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 66.1 innings.

While most players enjoyed some down time during the break, Skenes started for the National League in the 2024 All-Star Game and pitched a scoreless inning against the game’s very best.

Jones has been no slouch either. In 16 starts prior to landing on the injured list with a lat strain, the right-hander went 6-6 with a 3.56 ERA.

Both pitchers have had crucial roles for the Pirates and where the team currently sits. But how will Cherington and manager Derek Shelton monitor their workloads? Jones may have a longer leash once he returns considering he’s missing a handful of starts while injured. Though Cherington has ruled out shutting down Skenes, the Pirates may have to get creative in watching his innings — whether that be skipping a turn in the rotation, having pitch limits in certain starts, etc.

Can Buctober Return?

For the first time since 2019, the Pirates are within striking distance of a playoff spot at the break.

Five years ago, the Pirates ended the first half at 44-45 and 2.5 games out of first place in the division. But the Bucs fell apart on the field and off it in the second half and finished in last place in 69-93.

Will this year be different? With a strong starting rotation, the chances of the Pirates reaching the postseason for the first time since 2015 is not out of the question. The National League only has a couple of standout teams with many others all condensed in the middle.

Even so, it’s an uphill climb to get another chance for a Buctober, but crazier things have happened.