2026 Pittsburgh Pirates

The record in his starts is irrelevant. People who understand how to evaluate pitchers stopped evaluating them by wins and losses a long time ago. This isn't some decent young pitcher. This guy won a Cy Young award last season. Never mind that it would absolutely be a blow to his confidence, which has likely already taken a hit. What you are suggesting is, at best, a panic move over a guy having a 3.62 ERA.

Some pitchers can handle the switch, but starting a game and coming on in relief are very different things. Starting pitchers are creatures of habit and routine. It is part of how they maintain their mechanics. You are suggesting taking that away as a means to fix the guy. That makes no sense at all. If he really is tired, and I have heard that suggested, skip a start. Let him work on the side for a few days. Yeah, that really sucks for the team, but if it is a choice of losing a few more games or preserving a young ace like Skenes, you preserve the ace.

 

I understand. Nicely written, for a teacher, lol
Something is definitely amiss with Skenes right now, but if our defense would’ve made the plays, and this has happened to Skenes on more than one occasion, note opening day. Skenes might have a better record.
Skenes has been the benefactor of some sloppy fielding in his starts, but doesn’t take away from him giving up a lot of homers lately.
One other poster @Javvy , posted that Skenes is working on other pitches in his arsenal. Which in fact could be the reason he is struggling right now. Get back to the basics that got you the Cy Young last season.

 

I agree that if he is tinkering, that may be a bad idea. I wonder about guys like him trying to tone down on the velocity to protect their arms, too. Maybe pitching in the WBC threw him off. It could be lots of things.

 

The Bucs have put together some really decent O depth this year. With Cruz and Horwitz out for long stretches, being two of their more productive offensive players before their injuries, the O hasn't really suffered that much and they continue to pile up the hits and runs all through the lineup. The RISP fallout is still troubling as is both the starting and relief pitching (for the most part) but the O keeps producing more often than not. These next 6 games will be telling against decent pitching and hitting teams but I've been impressed with the hitting so far, better than the past decade or 2. Yesterday was certainly Konnor Griffen's biggest all around day so far in his very very young career. That was impressive. Beat em Bucs!

 

Mangum/Valdez have done decent job filling in for Cruz. We sure the hell don't miss him defensively. The trade deadline is August 3rd. I bet we could get some decent talent by dealing Cruz. Maybe help the staff.

 

No where safe to hide Cruz on the field
Does have a rocket launcher for an arm
BP?
Lol

 

Here’s another idea
Split time between
Cruz
And
Ozuna
At DH
Neither can play the field

 

We have Skenes, Jones and Keller to kick the Braves ass.

 

Cruz has a big stick
Not interested in dealing him away

 

The guy's turnaround this year against LH pitchers is nothing short of miraculous. He was finally hitting for a decent average before the injury. He'd possibly be leading the league in stolen bases along with Griffin (if he'd have been up earlier in the season) with Mangum right behind those 2. This is a decent version of Lumber and Lightning 3.0, but....but..... for pitching and scoring efficiency with RISP. The Braves have been beatable recently with only a 3 game lead in the NLE and 4-6 in last 10. Their pitching hasn't been as sharp as it was when the Bucs last faced them. Eternally optimistic. The Brewers are another story altogether - hopefully the Bucs can cool them off.

 

Let’s see if Skenes can right the ship tonight
Would be right on time

 

If we ever needed a 8 game win streak
Now is the time!
Let’s go!

 

He is a big stick and they should use him as a DH because his fielding gives me agita. If he didn't get injured I feel we'd have about the same record. Maybe we could improve our staff by trading him away. Only way we make a run at a WC spot is if our pitching improves. I'm saying to go all in because I'm pretty sure there will be no 2027 season. What I'm suggesting will not happen. No way in hell the organization thinks this way.

Bucs are a lumber company again but gotta do something about the pitching if we want to have meaningful BB in late August/Sept.

 

Now that's dreaming. I'd be delighted 3-3.

 

The Brewers are annoying. I'll give them Front Row Amy but that is it.

As Jerry Lee Lewis once crooned, What made Milwaukee famous, has made a loser out of me. Must be for their Playoff defeats. Their famous in the NLC but our losers in the Playoffs.

 

Just in time for a horrendous 6 games at home - Bad News - Griffin tore ligaments in the ring finger of his left hand when he made that incredible diving catch in short left field on Sunday. You could see the trainers looking at it between innings but he stayed in, then had a key 2 RBI hit and another over the shoulder dazzling catch. He may be out till 8-10 weeks now. This really sucks big time when he almost single-handedly won that game Sunday and appeared really excelling in all aspects of his game.


https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/...line-rookie-of-the-year-pirates-playoff-odds/

 

Hopefully Cruz and Horwitz's return after the ASG will offset the loss of Griffin, at least offensively. For the next 6 games though, #%$@&*(^%$

 

FCUK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

O hearn with the hat trick!
3 homers!
10-2 Bucs!
End of 6
O Hearn accounts for all the Buccos runs!
10 RBIs

 

Need BP help urgently

 

I hope they just replace players
Instead of no season
Enough is enough already
Need to level playing field
With a cap
So unfair

 

Buc record. First time ever a Buc gets all 10 runs in a game.

 

Can't remember when the Bucs appeared in the top 5 or so in so many stat categories. Probably the Van Slyke, Bonds, Bonilla and Bream years of the early 90's? Here's a look at the NL Team stats as of this morning - July 8, 2026. Note: CBS Sports screwed up and mixed in AL teams in some categories like BA and HRs and others. Bucs are actually 4th in NL HRs with 117 and 8th in DBLs and 10th in Trip, Trip, Trip Triples.

 

oh man you better sign O'Hearn and Lowe.I wonder if they are mad about all-star snub--I hope the pirates are that might light a fire under their ass... good to see Skenes get a win to