Pirates Three Stars of the Week: Bright Spots in a Dreadful Stretch

Well, things couldn’t have gone much worse for the Pittsburgh Pirates last week. In fact, in terms of wins and losses, it literally could not have gone worse.

The Pirates embarked on a six-game road trip which included stops at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs before a weekend series with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Both series were three-game sweeps as the Pirates went winless and fell to third place in the National League Central with a record of 34-36.

Despite the struggles, it’s time to highlight the top three performers.

Third Star: Osvaldo Bido – 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 1er/4.0ip, four hits, three walks, six strikeouts, one start

Bido made his major league debut against the Cubs at Wrigley and pitched well, limiting Chicago to just a single run in four innings.

Bido worked around some traffic on the bases thanks in large part to racking up six strikeouts.

First MLB strikeout for @Pirates rookie Osvaldo Bido! pic.twitter.com/cbEQO02njH

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 15, 2023

Second Star: Bryan Reynolds – .250/.280/.458, 6 for 24, two doubles, one home run, two RBIs, six games

Reynolds’ week included a three-hit performance against the Cubs and a towering home run on Sunday afternoon against the Brewers.

As he has for the entire season, Reynolds continues to give the Pirates a steady presence in the lineup.

Bryan Reynolds, known baseball destroyer pic.twitter.com/ZYwFyhXYrs

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 18, 2023

First star: Carlos Santana – .304/.320/.609, 7 for 23, one double, two home runs, six RBIs, six games

Santana had an excellent week at the plate for the Pirates as he is starting to find his power stroke again.

The veteran first baseman hit a home run in each of the Pirates’ two series last week.

Slamtana's gonna slam. pic.twitter.com/zwEaVpVj3z

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 17, 2023

Up next, the Pirates return home for a brief three-game series against the Cubs before hitting the road again for a four-game series against the Marlins in Miami.

Check back next week for the Pirates’ top three performers from the week ahead.