Pittsburgh Pirates: Chris Archer and Jordan Luplow Done

(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
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The Pittsburgh Pirates need to win one more game to obtain a winning record this season.  They will be without a pitcher and outfielder.

Off to the Queen City the Pittsburgh Pirates go.  The goal of the final series is to win one game.  A sweep would be great, or even winning the series, but if the Bucs win at least one game they will finish the 2019 year with a winning record.  While it is not as good as making the playoffs, it still would be considered a successful season based off of many’s predictions.

The team will be sending Nick Kingham in game one, then for game two it will be Jameson Taillon, then for game three, the starter has not been announced.  With that being said, the Pittsburgh Pirates will not be sending Chris Archer out for another start.  Archer would be in line to make a start on the last game of the season, however the team is deciding to end his year early.

This is disappointing in a way.  As I wrote the other day, Archer has seemed to figure things out.  In the month of September Archer has posted a sub 3.00 earned run average.  This includes a strong last two starts where he only gave up one run over 13 innings and struck out 17 hitters.  So it would have been good to see Archer go out and try for three consecutive strong starts against the Reds. The reason apparently is a lingering left groin injury.  Rather than push him for one more start, the team will shut him down on a couple positive starts.

Then in the outfield, the Pittsburgh Pirates will be without Jordan Luplow for the series.  Luplow had to undergo an appendectomy which promptly has ended his season.  As of now, Luplow would seem like a sure bet to make the Pittsburgh Pirates 25 man roster next season.  The team will be without Gregory Polanco to start the season.  Meanwhile, Jordan Luplow was projected to help replace Polanco in right field, if not the starter, at least as a fourth outfielder.

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Both players could have made impacts in the upcoming series to help the team achieve a winning record.  However, the team has plenty of other options to use in the outfield with Luplow out.  The team can send out Pablo Reyes or Jose Osuna to man the outfield.  Meanwhile, it seems likely that one of the younger pitchers like Clay Holmes will get the start for the last game of the season.