The Pirates are winners of 4 straight games and completed a sweep of the Chicago White Sox tonight by the score of 2-0. The Bucs continue to hunt for October baseball after their 6th consecutive series win. According to Fangraphs, the Pirates’ playoff odds have risen to 1.6%! Jared Jones was elite yet again tonight, and Oneil Cruz carried the offense solely on his back and the teams heads into Wrigley Field one game over .500. While this may be too little too late, at least the Pirates are giving us enjoyable baseball to watch while playing meaningful September games. Watch Tyler and I break the game down in detail here:
Jared Jones is So Close to Being an Ace
Jared Jones had a no-hitter going for 6 2/3 innings tonight, and yet this somehow undersells his dominance. He generated 20 whiffs on the night, with the slider generating 12 of those on its own. Jared could’ve pitched for the next 24 hours, and the White Sox had 0 chance of scoring with how he was moving tonight. Jones was so good I was shocked that he only had 8 strikeouts on the night. What impressed me most tonight, though, was his efficiency. We all know just how good his fastball/slider combination is, but often times he can’t always throw it in the zone. That was not a problem tonight, as he did a fantastic job attacking hitters and peppered the zone early with strikes. Jones has gone on streaks this year where he looks as good as prime Paul Skenes, and there is clear development of his game from his rookie year to now. Nights like tonight make one dream about a true 2-headed monster of aces between Paul and Jared and how dominant they can be for years to come.
Oneil Cruz Might Be the Pirates’ Most Valuable Player
Oneil Cruz was the entire offense for Pittsburgh tonight, as he drives in both of the Pirates’ runs that sealed them the game. His home run tonight was the hardest-hit ball of the entire season and the furthest hit baseball in Guaranteed Rate Field in 2026. I don’t care that MLB changed the distance; that was a 467 ft home run in our hearts. The Pirates are now 13-7 since Oneil Cruz was activated from the IL, and you can clearly see his influence on the offense. The Pirates’ free fall in July with very few runs scored probably doesn’t happen if we aren’t robbed of a full season of Cruz in center. He can win games on his own with his power; his ability to hit lefties has filled a massive hole, and his speed causes chaos on the base paths. He is becoming a star before our very eyes, and while it has taken longer than we all wanted, he is showing why he was a top 5 prospect in the sport when he graduated. Oneil deserves the chance to hit nukes into the Allegheny in October, and he is trying to drag this team there by himself.
Meaningful Baseball is Nice
The Pirates genuinely need a miracle to make the playoffs, as a combination of elite play from themselves and total capitulation from both the D-backs and Padres is needed. But there is hope, and after 2 months of misery, the Pirates are finally playing exciting baseball. The team has good pitching; it is hitting well enough and is playing a good defense to boot. Meaningful baseball also matters in terms of building a winning culture. These are the most important games the Pirates have played in 8 years, and when you lose that much, it’s hard to establish winning standards. I take encouragement that there is a real fight from the Bucs going down the stretch. It may not get them to the promised land this season, but it will certainly help the team out next season when it comes to winning more baseball games.
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