Pirates

Pirates Preview: Bucs Face One of Baseball’s Best

Published

3 weeks ago

June 18, 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates' Nick Gonzales hits a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

The Pittsburgh Pirates were defeated 7-3 in the first of a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Tuesday night.

Pirates’ pitching yielded four home runs while Tiger’s pitching retired the final 13 batters of the game.

The Pirates (29-45) will look to even their series with the Tigers (47-27) against ace pitcher Tarik Skubal on Wednesday night.

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

Weather

Cloudy skies with a chance of rain later in the night. Temperatures in the 70s with winds S at 8-12 mph.

LHP Andrew Heaney (3-5, 3.33 ERA) Will Start For the Pirates

Heaney last toed the rubber in the opening game of this road trip against the Cubs and delivered a quality start by allowing three runs in 6.0 innings.

The left-hander, who has not walked a batter in any of his three June starts, has a 3.06 ERA (6er/17.2ip) during that stretch.

While Heaney has pitched well overall of late, he has been snake-bitten by the long ball. Over his last four starts, opponents have hit six home runs against him. He had only allowed five home runs through his first 10 starts of the season.

In three career starts against Detroit, Heaney is 1-2 with a 9.19 ERA.

LHP Tarik Skubal (7-2, 1.99 ERA) Will Start For the Tigers

The Pirates will have their work cut out for them against Skubal, who ranks sixth in baseball in ERA.

The tough left-hander has only allowed one run over his last four starts and has gone at least 7.0 innings in each of those outings.

Skubal leads all MLB starters in WHIP (0.81), walks per nine innings (0.90), strikeout to walk ratio (12.33) and is third in strikeouts (111).

In four appearances/three starts against the Pirates in his career, Skubal is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA.

Tigers Hitters vs. Heaney

Gleyber Torres: 3 for 14, one double, one home run, two RBI, five strikeouts
Andy Ibáñez: 1 for 3, one home run, three RBI, one strikeout
Javier Baez: 0 for 3
Jake Rogers: 1 for 2, one home run, two RBI, one walk, one strikeout

Pirates Hitters vs. Skubal

Bryan Reynolds: 1 for 9, one walk, three strikeouts
Ke’Bryan Hayes: 2 for 7, one walk, two strikeouts
Adam Frazier: 1 for 4
Nick Gonzales: 1 for 3, two strikeouts
Tommy Pham: 1 for 3
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 0 for 3
Andrew McCutchen: 0 for 3, two strikeouts

Tidbits

Carmen Mlodzinski allowed two home runs in Tuesday’s loss, one fewer than he allowed all last season (three home runs in 50.2 innings).
Entering play on Tuesday, the Pirates’ bullpen combined for a 1.34 ERA (6er/40.1ip) in their last 12 games since June 4.
The Pirates have lost four of their last five games and have scored a total of 10 runs in those five games.