Pirates

Pirates Preview: Can Bucs Stop Slide vs. Nats on Wednesday?

Published

1 day ago

April 16, 2025

For the second time in three games, the Pittsburgh Pirates were shut out in a 3-0 loss to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night at PNC Park.

After scoring a season-high 10 runs in the first game of the series, Nats starter Jake Irvin and two relievers held the Pirates to four hits and prevented a runner from reaching third base.

The Pirates (6-12) will look to prove that Monday night’s performance wasn’t an anomaly against the Nationals (7-10) on Wednesday night after losing four of their last five games.

First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh as well as 93.7 The Fan.

Weather

Temperatures in the mid-to-upper 40s with mostly sunny skies. Winds NW at 8-10 mph.

LHP Bailey Falter (0-2, 7.20 ERA) Will Start for the Pirates

Falter allowed five runs (three earned) and walked five batters in 5.0 innings in his last start against the Reds on Friday night.

Over his last two starts, the left-hander has surrendered 12 runs (10 earned) on 10 hits in 9.0 innings. Opponents have a .294 batting average and three home runs against him during that span.

Falter fared much better in his first start when he held the Marlins to two runs in 6.0 innings and struck out four.

Falter is a perfect 4-0 in eight career appearances/five starts against the Nationals in his career. He’s posted a 2.76 ERA (9er/29.1ip)

LHP Mitchell Parker (2-0, 1.96 ERA) Will Start for the Nationals

Parker has delivered three consecutive quality starts to begin his second season in the big leagues.

The 25-year-old threw 6.1-shutout innings against the Phillies in his first start of the season and followed it up by allowing just one run in 6.0 innings against Arizona. In his last start, Parker allowed four runs but only three earned in 6.0 innings against the Marlins.

The left-hander doesn’t rely on strikeouts — he’s recorded 10 in 18.1 innings on the season. However, opponents have a miniscule .209 batting average and a .556 OPS.

Parker faced the Pirates at PNC Park last September and allowed four runs on six hits with four walks and five strikeouts in 3.1 innings.

Nationals Hitters vs. Falter

Keibert Ruiz: 3 for 8, one walk, one strikeout
Luis García Jr.: 2 for 7, one double, four strikeouts
Josh Bell: 4 for 6, one double, two home runs, four RBI, three walks
Alex Call: 0 for 4, two strikeouts
Jacob Young: 0 for 4, one strikeout
Amed Rosario: 2 for 3, one RBI, one walk
Dylan Crews: 1 for 3
José Tena: 1 for 3, one strikeout
Nathaniel Lowe: 0 for 3, one strikeout

Pirates Hitters vs. Parker

Tommy Pham: 2 for 5, one walk
Oneil Cruz: 1 for 2, one double, one strikeout
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 1 for 2, one double, one walk

Tidbits

The Pirates’ 6-12 record through 18 games is their second worst start since 2006. Only the pandemic-shortened 2020 season got off to a worse start (4-14).
Jack Suwinski, the lone Pirates’ player with two hits in the loss, registered his first multi-hit game since last year on July 23 against the Cardinals.
In their last seven games, the Pirates’ bullpen has combined for a 0.77 ERA (2er/23.1ip). Ryan Borucki, Kyle Nicolas and Caleb Ferguson combined for 3.0 shutout innings on Tuesday.