The Pirates have spent the last week and a half clawing their way back to respectability, and now comes the part that tells the real story.
Pittsburgh finally snapped out of its series skid on the last homestand, taking two of three from the Boston Red Sox from Aug. 14-16 and then doing the same against the Detroit Tigers from Aug. 17-19 at PNC Park. That pair of series wins halted a stretch of seven straight series losses, during which the Pirates went 7-16 and sank as far as six games under .500.
They are still below the break-even line at 63-66, but the door to the postseason is not shut. The problem is the road in front of them, starting with the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium from Aug. 21-23.
Pittsburgh remains five-and-a-half games behind the San Diego Padres for the third National League Wild Card spot. The Padres are 68-60, and the Pirates also have three teams sitting between them and that spot in the Arizona Diamondbacks, St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins.
The Cardinals helped themselves by winning three of four on the road against the Cincinnati Reds, who slid further away from the race. Arizona and Miami could still tumble, though, with the Diamondbacks having dropped three of their last four and still uncertain about the status of star player Ketel Marte, while the Phillies swept the Marlins at home.
The rest of the field is narrowing, too. The Washington Nationals are seven games under .500 and appear to be out of the picture, while the Chicago Cubs would need a collapse to miss out.
For the Pirates, this stretch is as difficult as it gets. Their trip to Los Angeles opens a nine-game road swing that also includes a series with the Padres at Petco Park from Aug. 24-26 and another with the Cardinals at Busch Stadium from Aug. 28-30.
That means three straight series against teams in the thick of the playoff race, with the Dodgers atop the NL West and both San Diego and St. Louis sitting ahead of Pittsburgh in the NL Wild Card chase.
If the Pirates are going to make a move, they need to do it now. Winning at least five or six games on this stretch could keep the season alive; anything less could close the door.
There is still a path, and September offers a softer landing spot. Pittsburgh has 15 home games next month and will face the Los Angeles Angels, Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants at PNC Park. If the Pirates are going to surge, that’s where they’ll have to cash in.
In Other News...
Pirates Outfield Depth Just Got More Concerning Behind Current Starters
The Pirates outfield picture took another hit Wednesday when Jhostynxon Garcia landed on the 7-day injured list with Triple-A Indianapolis. Garcia is already on Pittsburghs 40-man roster, so even an issue at the minor-league level carries some weight for a team that has been trying to keep enough healthy options in the pipeline. It comes at a time when the organization is still sorting through its outfield mix and trying to avoid any more thin spots.
Pittsburgh only recently got center fielder Oneil Cruz back from the 60-day injured list, which helped stabilize the group at the big-league level. Even so, the depth behind him remains a talking point with Bryan Reynolds, Esmerlyn Valdez and Jake Mangum among the other outfielders on the roster. Garcias setback does not solve any of the questions hanging over the group, and it leaves the Pirates watching another layer of their depth chart a little more closely. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Skenes Recent Struggles May Come Down To One Fix
Paul Skenes has looked a little out of sync lately, and one former big leaguer thinks the explanation may be hiding in the delivery itself. Dan Plesac broke down Skenes mechanics on MLB Network and pointed to an issue that can snowball fast for a pitcher with elite stuff: Skenes is opening up too early, which leaves his arm playing catch-up and can sap both velocity and command.
For the Pirates, the encouraging part is that this does not sound like a major overhaul so much as a small adjustment with a clear target. Plesac framed it as a fix that is minor and achievable, which matters when a young arm is working through a rough patch and the margin for error is so thin. If Skenes can clean that up, the recent downturn might look less like a trend and more like a temporary mechanical hiccup. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Fans Have One Huge Reason To Watch Baseballs Next Showcase
PNC Park has long carried the look and feel of a showcase ballpark, and now there is another reason for Pirates fans to keep an eye on the sports biggest stage. With Oracle Park in San Francisco set to host the 2028 All-Star Game, the case is being made that Pittsburgh should be squarely in the conversation for the following year, giving the city a chance to put one of baseballs best settings on display.
The timing only adds to the appeal for Pittsburgh, with 2029 landing near the 50th anniversary of the 1979 Pirates championship team. An All-Star Game at PNC Park would not just be a marquee event for the franchise, it would also give fans across the city a chance to celebrate the ballpark and the clubs place in baseball history at a moment that already carries some meaning. [Read more 🡒]