The Pirates offense is keeping the team under .500.
Welcome to Bechtold’s Core Four, where I highlight four Pittsburgh Pirates topics, events, or storylines to watch this week. In this weekly feature, we’ll explore what to keep an eye on as the week progresses in the world of the Pirates and Major League Baseball. Let’s dive in.
Score Runs
Scoring runs is easier said than done, but it shouldn’t be *this* difficult. The Pirates managed just 14 runs during their six-game homestand. Derek Shelton’s offense produced four, one, one, three, four, and one run during a 3-3 stretch. Paul Skenes pitched seven strong innings, allowing just one run and striking out eight, but got no run support. It’s frustrating how poor the offense has been, wasting a great start. Skenes has never left a game while trailing and usually gets ample run support. However, this weekend the bad offense bug hit Skenes, as the bats were silent against Aaron Civale (5.42 ERA), one of the worst starters in baseball, who had lost eight consecutive starts until now.
Sunday’s lineup was particularly disappointing. Jared Triolo batting sixth highlights the lack of depth in the order. Triolo went 0-3 and is slashing .209/.388/.275 with a .563 OPS. Jack Suwinski followed with a .170 average and 61 strikeouts in 64 games. Yasmani Grandal, hitting seventh, joins Suwinski in the under .200 club at .184 and hasn’t homered since two days after Paul Skenes debuted on May 11. Michael A. Taylor, who hit 20+ home runs last season, has a .192 average and a .494 OPS with one home run. Jason Delay, batting ninth, has an .083 average.
This is frustrating, but what can you do? This is the team that Ben Cherington and Derek Shelton built and have at their disposal. They couldn’t have anticipated Suwinski becoming unplayable or Henry Davis falling flat and struggling to hit. Choosing Michael A. Taylor for center field over Tommy Pham was a mistake, but the Pirates went with Taylor. It’s infuriating and exactly what will keep them out of a playoff spot unless something changes dramatically.
Aggressive Wins
The Pirates need to make a move in the trade market. Sunday’s lineup, missing Andrew McCutchen and Nick Gonzales, only managed three hits. The Pirates have lost 17 games when their starting pitchers have gone at least six innings. That’s unacceptable. Ironically, at the start of the 2024 season, many were worried about the pitching and confident the offense would be strong. What a reversal. It’s clear enough that Bob Nutting has publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the offense and the necessity for reinforcements.
“Obviously, we need more offense,” Nutting told the media Friday after introducing Sheetz as the Pirates’ jersey patch partner. “We’re a bottom-performing team in offensive production. You all know that as much as I do. We’re fully aware of that. We know the areas that need to improve.”
It’s refreshing to hear honesty from Nutting and surprising to hear him openly admit that part of the team is underperforming. This is an area that needs to be addressed at or before the deadline. He’s essentially sending a clear message to Ben Cherington: take action to improve the offense. Nutting emphasized the need for the Pirates to act “early” on the deadline front. Translation: try to make a deal NOW. Aggressiveness can lead to success in sports. Although the trade for Chris Archer was a notable exception, a player like Luis Arraez would certainly have been a valuable addition to the Pirates lineup.
Stack Win After Win
The Pirates have struggled to start a winning streak, not having swept a series since opening the season 4-0 in Miami. In April, they were swept by the lowly Oakland A’s and the New York Mets. This inability to string together wins is preventing the Pirates from making the same leap in the race that teams like the Mets and Cardinals have. St. Louis, which sat at the bottom of the NL Central for much of the first half, turned things around in June. The Cardinals are now two games over .500, having won seven of their last 10 games and sweeping the San Francisco Giants.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
The Pirates have one of the worst offenses in baseball. They rank tied for 23rd in hits (7.7 per game), tied for 22nd in runs per game (4.0), 26th in batting average (.227), 27th in on-base percentage (.296), 28th in slugging (.358), and 28th in OPS (.654). They’ve hit the fifth-fewest home runs this season with 71. Additionally, they lack aggression on the bases, facing a 108-41 deficit in stolen bases against the league-leading Reds.
Bob Nutting has stated, and reiterated on Friday, that increased productivity on the field would align with the ability to add and increase payroll through outside acquisitions. Why wait until the end of July? Nine teams in the NL are separated by just four games and are beginning to sort themselves out. Can the Pirates distinguish themselves for the first time in nine years? Trading for an outfielder with years of control, or even a rental, should be a priority.
“I’m not at all sure that we won’t have opportunities well in advance of the deadline. I think we should be prepared to move early,” Nutting said. “I think we should be prepared to take advantage of opportunities when they arise. I know Ben has that flexibility to look across a broader range of alternatives and options, but also a timeline of when it makes sense to strike.”
It’s refreshing to hear Nutting speak honestly, especially about acknowledging the team’s current performance issues. Addressing these concerns should be a priority leading up to the deadline. This is a clear signal to Ben Cherington that action is needed. The Pirates require offensive improvements, particularly in both outfield positions. If they delay, they risk falling behind in the playoff race as other teams make moves.