PBN Three Stars of the Week
Pittsburgh Pirates Three Stars Of The Week: Aug. 22-Aug. 28
It was a pretty forgettable week for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
They were swept in a three-game series by the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park. Then after dropping the first two games against the Philadelphia Phillies in the City of Brotherly Love, the Pirates salvaged the final game of the series with a 5-0 win on Sunday. It was their lone victory of the week.
Though the Pirates continued their struggles, it’s still time to name the top three performers from last week.
Third Star:Â Oneil Cruz – .235/.278/.529, 5 for 16, one triple, one home run, one RBI, two runs, five games
Cruz posted an OPS north of .800 on the week thanks in part to his power and speed combination. Cruz legged out a triple against the Phillies on Sunday and blasted his 10th home run of the season against the Braves earlier in the week.
Additionally, Cruz set a Statcast record with a 122.4-mph single at PNC Park on Wednesday against the Braves.
Oneil Cruz hit this 122.4 mph 🤯
That's the hardest hit ball in the Statcast era!!! pic.twitter.com/soAi7qKaCE
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 24, 2022
Second Star:Â Rodolfo Castro – .313/.389/.500, 5 for 16, one home run, one RBI, two runs, one steal, five games
Castro continued his strong stretch of play in his second stint with the Bucs this season. The 23-year-old showcased his power potential and speed. Castro has been a source of steady production in an otherwise slumping Pittsburgh lineup.
Rodolfo Castro 4th Homerun of the Season #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/Ujna7N7JBW
— Homeruns MLB (@homers_mlb) August 27, 2022
First Star:Â Roansy Contreras –Â 1-1, 1.50 ERA (2er/12ip), seven hits, five walks, 12 strikeouts, two starts
What a week it was for the rookie right-hander. Contreras set a career-high with seven innings pitched against the Braves to begin the week. On Wednesday, Contreras played the role of stopper and delivered five shutout innings to snap the Pirates’ skid.
Welcome to The Ro Show pic.twitter.com/OXjcyRjUTg
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 28, 2022
The Bucs begin this week with a three-game series against the Brewers in Milwaukee starting on Monday night. After an off day on Thursday, the Bucs begin September with a three-game series at home against the Toronto Blue Jays.