8-12-24 – By Michael Castrignano – @412DoublePlay on X
While the Pirates pathetic playoff potential has plummeted, the Padres push past pitching pitfalls to plunder…victories. You get where we’re going with this.
The Pirates have lost 9 of their last 10, including being swept by these same Padres at home last week while San Diego has surged to a tie for the top wild card spot after they saw their 7-game win streak come to an end with a loss in Sunday’s game.
8/12
Pirates – Jake Woodford (R) – 0-3, 17 IP, 7.41 ERA, 12 Ks/5 walks, 1.53 WHIP
Padres – Joe Musgrove (R) – 3-4, 49.1 IP, 5.66 ERA, 44 Ks/15 walks, 1.48 WHIP
8/13
Pirates – Luis Ortiz (R) –5-2, 90 IP, 3.40 ERA, 68 Ks/28 walks, 1.16 WHIP
Padres – Michael King (R) – 9-6, 129.1 IP, 3.34 ERA, 151 Ks/47 walks, 1.18 WHIP
8/14
Pirates – Mitch Keller (R) –10-6, 136.1 IP, 3.56 ERA, 123 Ks/38 walks, 1.22 WHIP
Padres – Martín Pérez (L) – 2-5, 96 IP, 4.78 ERA, 76 Ks/34 walks, 1.51 WHIP
Pirates:
Oneil Cruz – Cruz has been on a TEAR! In August, he has a .387/.457/.548 slash line with 2 stolen bases while getting lambasted by the media for poor defense or “dogging it to first” at times. Granted, he has had some recent defensive issues, especially in that Astros series, and can look like his head isn’t in it but you can’t ignore what the bat has been doing for this team. He’s finally cementing himself as a middle-of-the-order power hitter who can drive the ball hard and often.
Padres:
Jackson Merrill – One of the top contenders for Rookie of the Year, Merrill has been among the best hitters in all of baseball this season but has turned it up to 11 lately, hitting .344 in August with 4 home runs in just 32 at-bats this month while playing plus defense at a premium position in center field.
Pirates:
Bryan de la Cruz – One of the BIG acquisitions at the trade deadline, it was well known what de la Cruz was capable of – a bat with significant swing-and-miss but the ability to pop off with some home runs and a CANNON in the outfield. Unfortunately, the cannon hasn’t been as useful given his other defensive shortcomings and his offense has been almost non-existent outside of his first game with the team. Over his last 30 at-bats, BDLC has managed just 2 hits (both singles) while mustering just 1 walk to 12 strikeouts in that stretch.
Padres:
Ha-Seong Kim – It’s been a serious fall from grace for Kim, who had a career-year in 2023 which resulted in getting some MVP votes, but has a below-average OPS on the season at .685 and has been scuffling even more of late. In the last 15 games, Kim has batted .206 with a .590 OPS as he has seen his playing team decrease as his production has done the same.
Key Injuries
Pirates:
No two players are more missed by this team than Jared Jones (right lat strain) and Carmen Mlodzinski (right shoulder strain). Jones threw his first rehab game last week and likely goes again on Wednesday before a potential return to the Pirates rotation while Mlodzinski is slated for a bullpen this week while the staff assesses the next steps.
Padres:
Fernando Tatis Jr. (right femoral stress reaction) reportedly won’t return to the team until September at the earliest. He provides a BIG power/speed threat for this team if and when he rejoins the Padres.
Team Notes
While the Pirates have gotten the bats heating up, scoring 5 or more runs in 4 of the past 5 games, the pitching has taken a nose-dive, posting a 6.35 ERA this month with numerous blown saves over this recent slump.
The Pirates avoid some BIG arms this week as both Dylan Cease and Matt Waldron both pitched this past weekend but they need to get their own pitching on track if they are going to find success.
Steel City Pirates 