The Pittsburgh Pirates left their July 4 weekend series in Washington with something they badly needed: momentum, and a little more room in the National League Wild Card chase.
Pittsburgh dropped the opener 9-5 on July 3, then answered with a 7-1 win on July 4 and closed the set with an 11-5 victory on July 5. Taking two of three from the Nationals at Nationals Park gave the Pirates a road series win over another club in the race, and it moved them ahead of Washington in the standings.
Even with that boost, the climb is still steep. The Pirates remain three games behind the third and final NL Wild Card spot.
The St. Louis Cardinals hold that position at 47-40 after winning two of three against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Right there with them are the Miami Marlins, who sit essentially tied at 49-42 after sweeping the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Their MLB-best 20-6 record in June now looks very real.
At the top of the race, the Cubs and Phillies are both 50-40 and sit 1.5 games ahead of everyone else. Pittsburgh already got a look at Philadelphia during a four-game road split at Citizens Bank Park from June 29-July 2, and the Phillies are trying to win a road series against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
The Pirates and Nationals are tied in the loss column, but Pittsburgh owns the tiebreaker after splitting a four-game set at PNC Park from April 13-16, giving the Pirates a 4-3 edge in the season series.
Elsewhere in the wild-card picture, the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres each won only one of three this weekend, with Arizona facing the Milwaukee Brewers at Chase Field and San Diego taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium. Both clubs are below .500 and four games back in the race.
The schedule does Pittsburgh no favors this week. The Pirates host the Atlanta Braves from July 7-9 and the Brewers from July 10-12 at PNC Park before the All-Star break.
Atlanta swept Pittsburgh at Truist Park from June 5-7 and leads the NL East at 52-36. Milwaukee, meanwhile, is 55-33, sits second in the National League behind the Dodgers, and leads the NL Central.
There is at least some reason for Pittsburgh to feel better about those matchups. Atlanta has not been playing as well lately and is only three games ahead of the Phillies after holding a much bigger lead earlier in the season. The Pirates also took two of three from the Brewers in Milwaukee from April 24-26 at American Family Field.
After the break, the challenge keeps coming. Pittsburgh is set to face the Cleveland Guardians, who are 47-44, and the New York Yankees, who are 49-40, on the road, and then will see several of the same NL Wild Card rivals again.
If the Pirates want to stay in the conversation, the next two series loom large. Getting four wins in six games against the Braves and Brewers would be a major step, and they likely need a real winning streak to push themselves into the playoff picture.
In Other News...
Pirates Just Got A Brutal Konnor Griffin Update At The Worst Time
Konnor Griffin had only just worked his way back into the Pirates lineup and was starting to look like a steady presence at shortstop again before another setback hit. The rookie had been giving Pittsburgh a welcome boost with his bat and overall production, which made the timing of this latest injury especially frustrating for a club trying to find any kind of rhythm in the middle of the season.
The Pirates now have to decide how aggressive to be with the 20-year-old, because there is at least some thought that he could try to play through it. More likely, though, is a cautious path that keeps him out long enough to heal properly and gives Pittsburgh a chance to get him back later in the year, if the rehab goes the way it needs to. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Linked To A Deadline Arm They Desperately Need
The Pirates are being tied to a left-handed arm as the trade deadline approaches, and the fit is easy to understand. Pittsburgh is looking for pitching help, especially in the bullpen, where left-handed depth has been a need, and the front office appears more likely to chase relief help than spend its biggest chips on the starting rotation.
Washingtons place in the playoff race is what makes this one tricky. The Nationals have reason to keep listening but no obvious reason to move a pitcher who has helped them this season, and Pittsburghs search for bullpen reinforcements could still lead them toward a closer or another late-inning option instead of a more versatile arm. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Injury Picture Just Got More Urgent Before Second Half
The Pirates got a little relief on the injury front as the All-Star break approaches, with Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz both moving in the right direction and trending toward a return shortly after the pause. Cruz has been progressing well from left hand fractures, while Horwitz is also coming along from a left hamstring strain, giving Pittsburgh a chance to get two important pieces back as the second half gets underway.
Wilber Dotel is still working through his own recovery from a lat strain and is set for another minor-league rehab appearance as part of that process. The bigger concern, though, is Endy Rodrguez, who left a recent game with left side discomfort and remains under evaluation, adding another layer of uncertainty to a roster that could use a cleaner bill of health once the schedule flips. [Read more 🡒]