For the Pirates, the future is now. After another crushing loss on Sunday, the team will have a lot of new faces in the clubhouse and on the field tonight when they open a three-game series with Cleveland.
The San Francisco Giants swept the Pirates over the weekend, completing the series by scoring five runs in the 10th inning and downing the Bucs, 8-4. Joc Pederson drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the 10th, and that was followed by two-run doubles by Michael Conforto and Patrick Bailey. The Pirates did get a run back in the bottom of the inning, but that was not nearly enough to avoid their 10th loss in their last 12 games.
After the Pirates stranded eleven runners and went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, manager Derek Shelton said they’ve struggled to drive in runs all season long.
Activated from the injured list and back in the lineup yesterday, Andrew McCutchen was disappointed in the Pirates’ lack of offense.
Outfielder Bryan Reynolds says the Pirates have the right attitude and are keeping their heads up, but they’re not getting results.
Before the game, the Pirates had already announced that 2019 first round draft pick Quinn Priester would be called up from Indianapolis and pitch tonight against Cleveland. After the game, the Bucs continued the youth movement…they will also call up catcher/infielder Endy Rodriguez and shortstop Liover Peguero. They will need to make corresponding roster moves, most likely involving infielder Tucupita Marcano and catcher Jason Delay, plus a pitcher. They have already sent infielder Rodolfo Castro to Indy.
The roster shakeup is also indicative that some veterans could be headed out of Pittsburgh, with the MLB trade deadline coming on August 1st.
Priester was 7-3 with a 4.31 ERA for Indianapolis in 18 starts this season. He’ll be opposed by Cleveland right-hander Xzavion Glover, who is 3-0 with a 3.04 ERA and will be making his first start of the season. The Guardians are going with a bullpen game as manager Terry Francona has to plug a hole in his rotation created by an elbow injury suffered by 2020 Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber, who was placed on the 15-day injured list yesterday.
ALTOONA CURVE
Altoona was rained out of its series finale in New Hampshire yesterday, after their game was suspended on Saturday. Neither game will be made up.
The Curve return home to Altoona to open a six-game series against Reading tomorrow night.
With the Pirates calling up three players from Indianapolis, the Curve will likely be undergoing some roster moves themselves by the time they hit the field tomorrow.
