The Pittsburgh Pirates are struggling in last place and have recently fired their manager following a series of public-relations flops. Amid their troubles, general manager Ben Cherington firmly ruled out trading ace pitcher Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year. The Pirates entered a crucial series against the Milwaukee Brewers 11 games out of playoff contention, hindered by an offense that ranks at or near the bottom in every major category. In an 8-5 loss to the Brewers, they displayed a brief offensive spark by scoring five runs—marking their first time reaching that figure in 27 games—but missed opportunities were evident as they left 10 runners on base.
Pittsburgh’s season has been disappointing despite hopes for progress after consecutive 76-86 campaigns, especially following the managerial change from Derek Shelton to Don Kelly. Skenes, who has shown promise with a 2.44 ERA, has witnessed the team’s struggles firsthand, with the Pirates having a mere 3-5 record in his starts.
While the team has signed some key players like Bryan Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes to long-term contracts, they remain one of the lowest-spending franchises, with an opening day payroll around $88 million. The pitching rotation has been solid, but the lineup lacks depth beyond a few stars. The team’s farm system includes promising pitching prospects, but position-player prospects are sparse, as the top draft picks have not yet made significant impacts. Cherington remains optimistic about improving performance and scoring, hoping for better results as the season progresses.
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