What new addition Billy McKinney will bring to the Pirates down the stretch

The Pittsburgh Pirates finally won a series to snap out of their 10-game losing streak in style.

The slumping team took two out of three against the Mariners and, after Game 3, Noah Hiles reported that the Pirates were calling up outfielder Billy McKinney for the upcoming roadtrip.

How can Billy McKinney help the Pirates?

Billy McKinney is an interesting choice to call up after the surge in acquired prospects at the trade deadline, with Nick Yorke and Billy Cook also on the precipice of the big leagues. Although McKinney is not a bad player, the promotion comes as a surprise.

That said, McKinney brings value to the Pirates as a left-handed bat. He should be considered a platoon player, as he is very productive against right-handed pitching, but is nearly unserviceable against southpaws.

On the season in Triple-A, McKinney has a .846 OPS with a wRC+ of 121 and a .396 on-base percentage. He has hit five home runs and five doubles along with 18 runs driven in. His 13.6% walk percentage is very impressive.

Those overall numbers are solid, but what he can do against right-handed pitching is so much more impressive. McKinney has a .918 OPS and a .304 batting average against right-handers. All of his extra-base hits and 17 of his 18 runs driven in have come against them.

This left-handed stick would be an improvement at the end of the lineup instead of guys like Ji Hwan Bae. In fact, McKinney needs to be added to the 40-man roster in order to join the team, and a Bae DFA could be the corresponding move. It works out, position-wise, as McKinney plays all outfield postions and even first base.

Overall, this call-up could help increase the overall consistency throughout the lineup. The Pirates' bottom of the order has not been great for nearly the duration of the season, so trying out a guy with Triple-A success could work out in the Pirates' favor.