The Pittsburgh Pirates are shaking up their lineup for a tough test against Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Tarik Skubal on Aug. 22 at Dodger Stadium.
Skubal, the two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, has given Pittsburgh trouble before. The Pirates have never beaten him, and in his time with the Detroit Tigers he went 3-0 in five appearances, four of them starts, with a 2.45 ERA across 25.2 innings. He also piled up 29 strikeouts against seven walks.
Now he’s with the Dodgers after being dealt there at the trade deadline, and the Pirates are responding with a different look in the lineup.
They’ll be without second baseman Brandon Lowe and first baseman Spencer Horwitz against Skubal. Lowe has gone 0-for-5 against him and has had a much harder time from the left side, batting .212/.255/.338 with a .593 OPS against left-handed pitching, compared with .274/.348/.547 and a .895 OPS against right-handers.
Horwitz has also struggled against southpaws as a left-handed hitter, posting a .200/.317/.260 line for a .577 OPS. Since returning from a left hamstring injury and concussion on Aug. 2, he’s hit just .115/.207/.135 for a .342 OPS.
That leaves center fielder Oneil Cruz as the Pirates’ lone left-handed bat in the lineup. Cruz just returned from a left hand fracture on Aug. 17 after missing more than two months, and he’s been strong against left-handed pitching in 2026, hitting .308/.357/.500 for an .857 OPS.
He has two home runs and an RBI single since coming back, including the two-run homer that tied the game 4-4 in the eighth inning of the series opener against the Dodgers on Aug. 21.
Pittsburgh’s lineup will feature six right-handed bats, two switch-hitters and Cruz as the only lefty.
Nick Gonzales moves from designated hitter to second base in place of Lowe and will lead off after driving in two runs with singles in the series opener. Rafael Flores Jr. shifts from catcher to first base for Horwitz and bats fifth for the second time in 2026. Flores has homered five times in his last eight games and has emerged as one of the Pirates’ hotter power bats lately.
Esmerlyn Valdez is back after a day off and will start in right field, hitting second for just the fourth time this season. Bryan Reynolds remains third in the order but will serve as the designated hitter. Jake Mangum slides into left field and moves up to sixth.
Nick Yorke takes over at third base and bats seventh, Jared Triolo shifts to shortstop and hits eighth, and Henry Davis will catch and bat ninth after grounding into a double play with the bases loaded in the 10th inning of the Pirates’ 5-4 loss.
In Other News...
Pirates Have A Nick Gonzales Problem They Can't Ignore At Third
Nick Gonzales has given the Pirates exactly the kind of offensive production they hoped would travel with him into 2026, but his glove at third base has become the part of the profile Pittsburgh cant keep brushing aside. The bat has played well enough to keep him in the conversation every day, yet the defensive fit has been shaky enough that the club has started weighing other ways to keep his offense in the lineup without forcing the issue at the hot corner.
That has pushed the Pirates toward a more flexible plan, one that could send Gonzales around the diamond between third base, second base and the designated hitter spot depending on the matchup. Pitcher type may end up mattering as much as the defensive chart, and that kind of rotation would let Pittsburgh chase his bats while trying to protect itself from the downside that comes with asking too much of him in one spot. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Turn To Rookie Arm With Bullpen Under Pressure Against Dodgers
With the bullpen getting leaned on hard in recent games, the Pirates made a fresh arm available for their matchup with the Dodgers on Aug. 23 by recalling right-hander Khristian Curtis from Triple-A Indianapolis. Curtis takes the 26-man roster spot previously held by fellow rookie Antwone Kelly, and he gives Pittsburgh another option to cover innings as the club tries to get through a demanding stretch.
Curtis has already had a brief taste of the majors, making his debut on July 18 before being optioned back to Indianapolis, but he remains on the 40-man roster and now gets another shot to help out at the big league level. For a Pittsburgh staff trying to keep its relief corps from wearing down, the timing of the move says plenty about how much the Pirates may need from a young pitcher who is still carving out his place. [Read more 🡒]
Endy Rodrguez Puts Pirates Back In A Catcher Situation They Feared
Endy Rodrguez is back on the injured list, and for the Pirates, that is the kind of development they were hoping to avoid at a position already built around uncertainty. The catcher is dealing with left hip inflammation, and surgery is being considered as one possible route forward, which leaves Pittsburgh waiting on more information before it can map out what comes next.
Rodrguez has already lost significant time this season because of injuries, having also been sidelined by issues with his left glute and right elbow. For a team trying to steady its catching situation, the latest setback only adds to the concern, because the Pirates now need clarity on both the severity of the hip problem and the timeline for his recovery. [Read more 🡒]