Pittsburgh Pirates Home Stand Report Card For 7/1-7/7

Starting Pitching

While the Pirate offense has been fantastic, the starting pitching has been, well, just ok.

The home stand started with a rough outing from Trevor Williams. The Pirates scored 18 runs, however, so it didn’t matter too much that Williams gave up five, especially considering he helped himself with an RBI single.

The next night, it looked like Joe Musgrove was on his way to a gem, striking out four over the first three innings, but then the rains came and cut his outing short. Chris Archer was OK Wednesday, giving up three runs and, wait for it, two homers. On Independence Day, Jordan Lyles got shellacked for 10 hits and seven runs through four innings, further indicating that his dominance over the first two months is donezo.

Against Milwaukee, Steven Brault held his own before leaving early with an injury. The next night, the Pirates got another fine effort from youngster Dario Agrazal. The rookie allowed just two runs over six and showed that he’s capable of hanging in a big league rotation, which the Pirates may need him to do depending on how long Brault is on the shelf. Musgrove concluded the home stand with another good outing, although it featured two Jesus Aguilar bombs.

There’s reason for concern with the Pirates rotation. Archer hasn’t been the guy the Pirates sold the farm for, Lyles has been underwhelming since mid-May, and Brault going down after a stretch of good outings is a bummer.

This team can hit, and that is well established, so the staff doesn’t need to be great right now. There will come a time, however, when the bats slow down, and when that happens, the pitchers will need to step up.

C+

Offense

18 runs in one game, 12 in another, and no fewer than six in four of the remaining five. If the Pirates offense hasn’t established itself as one of baseball’s best, it’s not far off.

Adam Frazier is a suddenly a machine (hitting .625 in July to earn NL Player of the Week honors for the first and, probably, last time). Colin Moran is asserting himself as the man at the hot corner for the foreseeable future. Bryan Reynolds has cooled off somewhat but reminded us that he’s still a bad man with his game-winning three-run jack to send the Bucs into the All-Star Break happy, and Josh Bell… well, you know.

The Pirate offense won’t be this good forever. We won’t see another 18-run performance for another year or five. Right now, though, they are swinging the sticks as good as any other team in base all. Because of that this team, through all of its flaws and misfortune, are right there in the playoff picture.

A+

The Bullpen

Yes, the Pirate relievers got roughed up in the team’s two losses this home stand. Yes, Kyle Crick is struggling and almost blew Sunday’s game. For the most part, however, the bullpen has figured it out.

Richard Rodriguez still hasn’t allowed a run since May 30. Aside from his part in the 4th of July massacre, Clay Holmes has shown a lot of promise in middle relief, and he was dominant two days prior, striking out four over two innings. Felipe Vazquez couldn’t keep the game tied in the 10th inning Friday night, but I don’t think we should be too worried about that guy.

It looks like the Pirates will have to wait until close to the trade deadline to get Keone Kela back, and that’s unfortunate. With or without Kela, however, the relievers, aside from Dovydas “I really shouldn’t be in the majors” Neverauskas are an asset. In the first two months of the season, they were a liability. Change can be beautiful, friends.

B+

The Skipper

As always, Clint Hurdle wasn’t perfect on this home stand.

His worst mistake was trusting Neveraskus in the eighth inning on a one-run game Friday night.

Nevershouldbeinthemajors promptly gave up four runs and, ultimately, cost the Pirates a win. Two days later, Hurdle may have stuck with Joe Musgrove two batters too long, as he gave up a game-tying bomb to Aguilar in the seventh. Luckily, that move didn’t cost the Bucs in the end.

While there were some slip-ups, it was, overall, a good week for Hurdle. It’s hard to find much to complain about when the team has won five of its last seven. One of Hurdle’s best moves of the stretch was trusting young Agrazal to

A. Get out of a bases-loaded jam in the 5th inning
B. Go back out for the sixth

The rook successfully completed both tasks and likely gained confidence as a result of his manager allowing him to do so.

Injury wise, this has arguably been the most challenging year of Hurdle’s managing career. While I won’t say he’s done a great job, he’s kept it together and is one hot stretch away from moving a club that not too long ago was in the basement of the NL Central to the divisional driver’s seat.

A-

Team Grade: Also 

A-