Pittsburgh Pirates: Slide Continues as Team is Swept by Nationals

2 of 4

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 14: Kevin Newman #27 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates with Erik Gonzalez #2 after hitting a home run in the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on June 14, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) /

Pirate offense continues to struggle

Throughout the first two and a half months of the 2021 season the Pittsburgh Pirates have had one of the worst offenses in Major League Baseball. While Ke’Bryan Hayes and Colin Moran both missing chunks of time due to injury is a factor, the biggest factor is the Pirate lineup lacking depth and length.

Against the Nationals, the team’s offensive woes continued. The Pirates score just 4 runs while getting swept by the Nats. After scoring 2 runs in a 3-2 loss in the first game of the series, they scored just 1 run in each of the next two games.

In the series the Pirates collected just 24 base hits, drew 5 walks and hit just a single home run, a solo home run by Kevin Newman in the first game of the series. Outside of the Newman home run the Pirates collected just 6 other extra base hits in the series, all of which were doubles.

When the Pirates did have opportunities to score in the series, these opportunities were wasted. The team was just 4-for-18 with runners in scoring position during the series, leading to them leaving 24 runners on base.

The fact of the matter is the Pirate lineup is not very good right now. While the team can have a strong 1-4 with Adam Frazier, Hayes, Bryan Reynolds and Moran, Moran continues to battle the injury bug, making zero starts in the series, and Hayes is in a mini-slump. Without each of their top four hitting the ball well the Pittsburgh Pirates will struggle mightily to score.

Home/Pirates News