Pirates Series Takeaways: Banged-Up Bucs in Dangerous Territory
PITTSBURGH — Wednesday night was one of the more thrilling games in PNC Park history.
The Pittsburgh Pirates stormed back from a five-run deficit entering the seventh inning to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-8 and snap a four-game losing streak.
Sandwiched around the win, however, was not only a pair of losses, but some injury news that will leave the Pirates vulnerable for the foreseeable future.
On-the-Field
The positive for the Pirates in the series opener was that Paul Skenes delivered his first quality start since May 12 and did a good job of holding a potent lineup in-check.
But once Skenes left the game, all hell broke loose, which has been a common theme this season with the struggles out of the bullpen.
Wilber Dotel, who had been so good to begin his career with the Pirates, failed to retire any of the six batters he faced. Brandan Bidois didn’t fare much better once he came in. Combine the pitching struggles with some shaky defense, and the Dodgers erupted for 10 runs in the seventh inning.
In Thursday’s rubber match, Mitch Keller’s shakiness continued, and after allowing five runs in four innings, now has a 5.14 ERA.
The Pirates need more from their most veteran starter. He knows that as much as the team does. And everyone knows they need better relief pitching.
The Pirates flirted with another comeback in the series finale, getting as close as one run before the Dodgers found some breathing room against the bullpen, resulting in a two-run loss for the home team.
After being swept by the Braves in Atlanta over the weekend, the Pirates went just 1-5 against the top two teams in the National League.
“They’re good teams,” manager Don Kelly said of the Braves and Dodgers.” I think that we’re a good team. I know it sucks when we go 1-5 in those games. When you look back at the Braves series, [final scores of] 6-3, 6-3 and 3-2, we had chances. Didn’t come up with the big hit. First game of this series was not good. That seventh inning killed us. But outside of that seventh inning, we were right there toe-to-toe with the Dodgers. We continued to fight back, continued to grind.”
Even with the positive, the record is all that matters, and the absences of two key players could loom large.
Injury Bug
Early in the season, the Pirates were pretty fortunate when it came to injuries, but with two of their best players on the shelf, their depth will be tested.
Let’s start with center fielder Oneil Cruz, who was originally in Tuesday’s lineup before he was scratched late. Cruz was not only placed on the 10-day injured list, but is expected to miss at least a month with non-displaced fourth and fifth metacarpal fractures in his left hand.
Cruz has had a big part in the team’s offensive turnaround this season. The 27-year-old has a .264/.350/.427 batting line with 10 doubles, 14 home runs, 44 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 64 games. At the time he was placed on the injured list, Cruz ranked fourth in baseball in steals and was tied for ninth in homers.
“We’re not going to replace Oneil and what he’s meant … the growth that he’s shown as a player on the field and getting better in center field, having better at-bats, the work he put in to get better against left-handed pitching,” manager Don Kelly explained.
“How he was trying to be in there and play, he ended up having two small fractures and a (tissue) thing going on, that I just think speaks to who Oneil is, how he’s continued to grow as a person and a player, and you can’t try to replace somebody, especially a guy like Oneil.”
In addition to Cruz, the Pirates will be without shortstop Konnor Griffin (forearm muscle strain) for at least a little while longer. It’s not a new injury, and the good news is he began throwing on Wednesday– from 90 feet and at about 75% intensity. The better news is he came out “feeling good,” as a source described things to Pittsburgh Baseball Now.
But it’s a fairly long road ahead for Griffin, who will have to progress in his throwing program before starting a necessary rehab assignment.
“This is gonna be longer than day to day,” said Kelly.
Fortunately, the Pirates received good news on the injury front regarding Endy Rodríguez, who left Wednesday’s game with left hip discomfort but was active on Thursday. The Pirates don’t plan to place Rodríguez on the IL, a source told PBN.
The Pirates have often stressed being strong up the middle. Having Rodríguez behind the plate is good, but they’ll be without their two most talented position players in Cruz and Griffin.
Pittsburgh has shown resiliency this season, but that will be put to the test more than ever before in the coming weeks.
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While the offense takes a bit of hit, they’re going to need to ride the starting pitching. If Skenes is mowing guys down, they shouldn’t be lifting him in the 6th inning to let the bullpen blow it. Same with any starter, providing they’re pitching well. They can’t afford to fall any further back in the standings.