The Pirates dropped a frustrating game today to drop to 7-5 as they lose the series at home to the Padres. If you missed the postgame show on YouTube, here’s the link to “Afternoons with Cody and Ryan.” Let’s get into my three takeaways from this game.
Stop Babying Your Horses
Don Kelly made the move to pull Mitch Keller after just 75 pitches and six fabulous innings of work today. The bullpen came in and promptly gave up four runs to seal the Pirates fate in this one. We saw this too in Paul Skenes second start when they pulled him after just 77 pitches. I get that it’s April, but Mitch is an eight-year veteran at this point, he’s thrown at least 159 innings in the past four seasons. Paul Skenes is in his third season and tossed 187 innings last season. The chains should be fully off here. Let these guys be your horses and push to 100 pitches each start. You already have to monitor Ashcraft and Bubba’s innings this season, that’s to be expected and everyone is fine with that but Skenes and Keller should be given the freedom to go deep if they’re pitching well. And Mitch Keller was pitching great today. He’s pitched well this season and went six innings in each of his first two starts too. He should have been given the chance to go seven. Keller finishes with 6.0 scoreless innings with just three hits, one walk and four strikeouts. He threw the sweeper 31% of the time and the Padres couldn’t get anything going against it with six whiffs. The Padres had no answers against him.
If the Pirates are going to contend this year, you need to win games like this one and for a series win at home, you need to push your horses and let them lead you and go deep into games.
Offense Didn’t Quit
For the second straight game, the Pirates bats got going later in the game. It was too little, too late this afternoon after Justin Lawrence served up four runs, but I love to see the fight from this team. They’ve had a couple clunkers this season, but mostly this offense has produced and continues to battle when they’re down or have had a quiet game to a certain point. Nick Yorke reached base four times, Nick Gonzales had a big double, Joey Bart drove in a run and kept the Pirates within striking distance of tying the game. It’s just such a different offense from last season and I’m impressed almost every game. Ramon Laureano took away two possible doubles from Konnor Griffin and Ryan O’Hearn late in the game too or the Pirates comeback could have made it a different game.
Outfield Defense was the Difference
We saw firsthand in this game what good outfield defense can do. The Padres defense in the outfield helped win this game today. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to say that this season for the Pirates. It can be a difference maker and the Padres proved that Wednesday afternoon. Laureano took away two doubles with outstanding plays and the Pirates high expected batting average in the late innings were all for not. The Pirates need to make up for their less than average defense by playing pitching well, hitting for power and playing fundamentally-sound baseball. Today was not it. Meanwhile, the Padres defense helped keep the Pirates from having a big inning and that was the difference today. And it probably won’t be the last time that’s the case this season.
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