The Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t need long to make their point.
A day after MLB revealed its All-Star rosters, Bryan Reynolds and Brandon Lowe answered with the kind of game that makes a snub look worse by the hour. Reynolds got Pittsburgh started with a third-inning homer off Cade Cavalli, and Lowe slammed the door on the Washington Nationals with a three-run shot in the eighth as the Pirates rolled to an 11-5 win.
For a club that has leaned on its lineup all season, it was a loud reminder that the offense’s success has been built around those two bats. Pittsburgh is headed into the break with the third-most runs scored in Major League Baseball, and Reynolds and Lowe have been at the center of almost all of it.
The numbers back that up. Lowe is hitting .242 with 21 home runs and 63 RBI.
Reynolds is at .282 with 13 homers, 56 RBI and a .393 on-base percentage that ranks eighth in all of baseball. Reynolds also put together a career-best 34-game on-base streak from May 23 through June 29, the kind of steady production that keeps an offense moving every night.
Their season has already landed in rare Pirates territory, too. Reynolds and Lowe became just the ninth pair of Pittsburgh teammates ever to each reach at least 55 RBI before the All-Star break. The only other duos on that list are Willie Stargell and Roberto Clemente in 1966, Stargell and Al Oliver in 1972, Andy Van Slyke and Bobby Bonilla in 1988, Barry Bonds and Bonilla in 1990, Brian Giles and Kevin Young in 2000, Aramis Ramirez and Giles in 2001, and Nate McLouth and Xavier Nady in 2008.
Lowe has also carved out a place in franchise history of his own. He became just the second Pirates second baseman ever to hit at least 20 home runs in a season, joining Neil Walker in 2014, though Lowe got there in about half the time.
The case gets even stronger when you look beyond the standard stats. Baseball Reference has Reynolds at 3.1 WAR, a number that tops more than 15 of the National League’s 21 position-player All-Stars.
Lowe is right behind him at 3.0 WAR. On that front, the omissions are hard to defend.
Paul Skenes was the Pirates’ lone All-Star selection, and he earned it even after a rough stretch. He has already said he hopes another Pirate can take his place because he plans to start Sunday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers instead of pitching in the All-Star Game. Braxton Ashcraft has emerged as a worthy candidate.
But the sharper grievance sits with the position players. Reynolds and Lowe didn’t just have strong cases before the Nationals game. They reinforced them in real time, with a win and two more home runs that made the snubs feel even harder to explain.
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 🡒]