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Pirates Series Takeaways: Unable to Secure Tiebreaker, Jones’ July, Another Deadline Need
Photo provided by Matt Lynch
PITTSBURGH — The Pirates had a big opportunity with the Diamondbacks in town for three games but ended up losing ground in the National League wild card race following a loss in Wednesday’s rubber match.
It was an exciting start to the series with a come-from-behind walk-off win on Monday night. That win was followed by a Tuesday night contest in which the Pirates rallied back from down six runs to force extra innings, only to fall 8-7 in the 12th.
But the Pirates seemingly used up all their juice in the first two games of the series and had a lifeless 3-0 loss in Wednesday’s finale.
The Pirates now trail the Diamondbacks and Phillies (tied for third) by two games in the wild card standings and are in a four-way tie for fourth place with the Nationals, Marlins and Padres.
Here are a few takeaways from a disappointing series at PNC Park.
Tiebreaker Not Secured
The winner of this series wasn’t going to celebrate by popping champagne bottles in the clubhouse after clinching a playoff berth. But Wednesday’s game had potential major playoff implications when the race enters the final stretch.
With a win in the series finale, the Pirates could’ve secured the playoff tiebreaker by winning the season series against the Diamondbacks. Instead, the teams split their six matchups, pushing the tiebreaker to intradivision record.
There’s a lot of season left, and a lot can change between now and the end of September, but Arizona currently has a 21-11 record against divisional foes. Pittsburgh is 19-11 against the National League Central this season with eight upcoming games against the division — four with the Reds and four with the Brewers.
The Pirates could’ve distanced themselves a bit by taking care of business these three games. Instead, a tight race got even tighter. Fortunately, a lot of season is still to be played.
“There’s a lot of games left,” Jared Triolo said after Wedneday’s loss. “Obviously, you want to win every game, but we have a big road trip coming up and hopefully we can change the momentum there.”
Jones Returning to Form
Jared Jones capped off an excellent month of July by delivering a quality start on Wednesday. The right-hander allowed three runs in six innings, which matched a season-high.
Jones totaled five starts this month, pitched to a stellar 2.00 ERA and had a 0.63 WHIP. In 27 innings, he walked six and struck out 33, while opponents hit a minuscule .120 against him.
It looks like Jones shook off the expected rust after not pitching in a big-league game since 2024. The right-hander, who had a 5.76 ERA at the end of June, now boasts a 3.81 ERA this year.
“He is,” manager Don Kelly said when asked if Jones is looking like he did two years ago. “Especially over the month of July, he’s getting back to that.”
Right now, Jones is the Pirates’ best starter. It’s a shame he’s still limited to 75-85 pitches per start coming off elbow surgery, but the 24-year-old is consistently giving his team a chance to win.
Another Deadline Need
Most of the attention for the Pirates at the trade deadline will be bullpen help, and rightfully so. But another need is becoming painfully obvious.
The Pirates continue to struggle against left-handed starting pitching. Dbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez was the latest to mow down a typically-potent offense by throwing eight-shutout innings on Wednesday.
“That seemed to be the very similar thing that has gotten us off at times a little bit, especially with left-handed pitchers, is the changeup,” Kelly said after the game. “I think his cutter-changeup combo kept us off-balance.”
After Wednesday’s loss, the Pirates have lost five straight games in which they’ve faced a left-handed starter, all of which have come since the All-Star break.
Why the struggles? There are a couple possible explanations. A lot of the heavy hitters in the lineup bat left-handed — Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn plus Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz when healthy. The Pirates were also counting on Marcell Ozuna to be much better, and someone who could offer balance in a lefty-heavy lineup. That obviously has not happened.
So while general manager Ben Cherington is out searching for bullpen help, he should also make some calls about adding a right-handed bat. Getting Konnor Griffin back in September will help, but the Pirates might not be able to wait that long.
The post Pirates Series Takeaways: Unable to Secure Tiebreaker, Jones’ July, Another Deadline Need appeared first on Pittsburgh Baseball Now .
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