3 Takeaways From Pittsburgh Pirates Two-Game Series In Detroit

What can be taken away from the Pittsburgh Pirates quick two-game series at Comerica Park in Detroit against the Tigers?

The Pittsburgh Pirates continued their strong start to the 2019 season in Detroit this week. Following a sweep of a two-game series against the Tigers, the Pirates are now 10-6 this season. This series sweep allowed the Pirates to finish off their eight-game road trip with a strong 5-3 record.

In this series the team continued to be the Battling Bucs of 2019. By fighting and showing heart, the Pirates pulled out a pair of extra inning victories over the Tigers. These victories improved the team to 4-2 this season in games that go to extra innings.

The series was also the team’s first taste of interleague play this season. With the sweep, the Pirates now own the best interleague play record (75-47) in the baseball. Considering the Bucs had the worst record in all of baseball in interleague play from it’s inception in 1997 through 2012, this is pretty remarkable.

With the series now in the rear view mirror, we can take a look at what we may have learned about the Bucs in this series. So, what are three takeaways from the team’s series sweep over the Tigers at Comerica Park?

Joe Musgrove is proving his worth

When the Pittsburgh Pirates traded ace starting pitcher Gerrit Cole to the Houston Astros in January of 2018 the key piece in the trade was fellow starter Joe Musgrove. While many fans were not enthusiastic about Musgrove upon his acquisition, he has quickly become a fan favorite in Pittsburgh and for good reason.

Musgrove pitches with a fiery passion for the game on the mound. He does not take BS from anyone, look at you Javier Baez and the Chicago Cubs, and is a no nonsense type of competitor. Additionally, and most importantly, he has pitched really well for the Pirates.

Every time he takes the ball, Musgrove continues to prove his worth and show why he was the key piece of the Cole trade.

After allowing his first two earned runs of the season in 7 strong innings of work in his start on Tuesday night, Musgrove now owns a 0.81 ERA and a 1.93 FIP in 22 1/3 innings pitched this season. His ERA is currently the lowest among qualified starters in the National League.

This hot start builds off of what was a strong 2018 season for Musgrove. As a member of the Pirates Musgrove, owns a 3.53 ERA and a 3.32 FIP. This comes in 137 2/3 innings pitched across 23 games (22 starts) the past two seasons.

Big Joe continues to show why Neal Huntington and the Pirate brass thought so highly of him when discussing Cole with the Astros. He also continues to prove his worth with each start he makes.

The Pirates miss Corey Dickerson at the plate and in the field

Injuries have plagued the Pirates early on this season. While high leverage reliever Kyle Crick returned from the injured list on Tuesday, the team still has four key players on the IL. One of these players is starting left fielder Corey Dickerson.

During his absence, the Pirate offense has missed Dickerson. He is one of the team’s best hitters and the offense has been inconsistent without him. However, maybe even more than his bat, the team misses his glove.

The primary players filling in for Dickerson in left field have been Jason Martin and Pablo Reyes. Both Martin and Reyes own a negative defensive runs saved this season. To be honest, had Dickerson been in left field on Wednesday night there is a good chance the Tigers would have been shutout.

The Pirates do not miss Dickerson’s glove just due to the defensive struggles of Martin and Reyes, but also because he is one of the best in the NL. In 2018 Dickerson led all NL left fielders in DRS, outfield assists, and fielding percentage on his way to capturing the NL Gold Glove Award.

Hopefully, Dickerson will return soon from his right shoulder soreness. Right now, the Pirates miss both his bat and glove dearly.