The Pittsburgh Pirates are off to a hot start with a record of 8-2 at the close of Sunday’s action. Last season, they got off to a 20-8 start before finishing the year at 76-86. Pirates fans have seen this movie before. The more skeptical among them are waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under them once again before getting too excited. However, the 2024 squad is better and deeper than last year’s. Although nobody possesses a crystal ball, there are myriads of reasons why the winning ways can continue.
How About That Starting Pitching?
Pitching has had much to do with the Pirates getting off to a hot start. As the close of Sunday’s action, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ team ERA is 3.60, ranking second among all teams in the National League. The team WHIP is a healthy 1.095. That’s with their best starter, Mitch Keller, and their closer, David Bednar, pitching poorly so far. Keller, whose next start is against the Detroit Tigers, has given up eight earned runs in 11 innings. Bednar has two blown saves. Both will pitch better as the season progresses. Meanwhile, others are picking up the slack.
The first two starts by Jared Jones have been the best story so far. He consistently throws 97 mph with an electric fastball. The 22-year-old right-handed rookie has been absolutely fearless on the mound. He’s had a couple of rough innings and as a result, has surrendered five runs in 11-2/3 innings. However, mostly he’s looked like a force to be reckoned with on the mound.
Veteran left-handed starters Martìn Pèrez and Marco Gonzales have been effective. Each has pitched to a 2.45 ERA so far. Concerns about Gonzales’ poor spring have been alleviated. Even the much-maligned lefty Bailey Falter has gotten into the act. On Sunday, he pitched a one-hitter in six innings against the Baltimore Orioles. The only hit was a routine fly ball that landed softly on the grass while center fielder Jack Suwinski and second baseman Alika Williams did their best Alphonse-and-Gaston routine.
Bullpen Depth for the Pittsburgh Pirates
As noted, the Pittsburgh Pirates are winning with Bednar not at his best. Reliable set-up men Colin Holderman and Carmen Mlodzinski have been on the injured list, where they were recently joined by Ryan Borucki. None of this has mattered. Manager Derek Shelton has skillfully maneuvered his relievers and used them in the right spots. Aroldis Chapman has been as advertised, blowing up the radar gun with triple-digit fastballs while pitching out of jams. With a bullpen consisting of three non-roster spring training invitees, a struggling former starter, and a 2023 Rule 5 selection, it appears to be held together by string. Yet five different pitchers have recorded saves in 2024.
The Batting Order Has a Length
It’s a favorite expression of sportscasters to say a lineup has “length,” even though all lineups consist of nine batters. What they mean is that it has tough outs throughout. At last, the Pirates have put together such a lineup. The offense has contributed much to the Pirates getting off to a hot start. While they may not be the Lumber Company of the 1970s, the Pirates rank fourth in the NL with 59 runs scored, fifth in batting average at .266, fourth in OBP at .352, and most importantly, first in walks with 50. They understand the game is one of not making outs. Their trust in the next batter allows them to accept walks and pass the baton. It’s an approach that’s been working, with the added bonus of running up pitch counts.
The Additions Are Helping
We’ve already touched on the new pitchers. Preseason acquisitions Edward Olivares, Michael A. Taylor, and Rowdy Tellez have been good additions as well. All three are hitting well and have contributed some big hits. Olivares, who is not a good outfielder, has taken some playing time away from Andrew McCutchen at designated hitter. Taylor, acquired by the Pirates late in spring training, is off to a hot start. He’s 12-for-28 with the bat and has been a marked improvement defensively in center field.
The biggest surprise has been the left-handed hitting first baseman Tellez. He has not performed as advertised, and that’s a good thing. Tellez has hit just one home run thus far, but his track record shows they will come. Where his performance has belied his record is in the areas of OBP and defense. He’s drawn five walks in 31 plate appearances, and he moves around the first base bag well. It’s too early to put much stock in statistics, but so far, the glove work has passed the eye test. An even bigger surprise is the impact he’s had on the bases. He’s broken up some plays with clean, hard slides into the bases.
One preseason acquisition we haven’t seen yet is injured catcher Yasmani Grandal. We may not see much of him either in light of the recent trade for Joey Bart, who chipped in with a home run and a double on Saturday.
Cruz is Healthy
Shortstop Oneil Cruz’s injury after nine games in 2023 left a big hole to fill, literally and figuratively. After helping the 2023 Pittsburgh Pirates get off to a hot start, his injury put a damper on the season. Many were tried in his place. Some fielded well, but none replaced the awe-inspiring speed, arm strength, and power. Now he’s back. He’s 14-for-42 with a team-leading two home runs. His hard-hit single in the bottom of the 11th inning won the game against the Orioles on Saturday. Defensively, he still looks like a work in process at times. He’s committed two errors already and dropped a relay throw, allowing a run to score. In any event, the advantages of having Cruz in the lineup every day will far outweigh the disadvantages.
Davis is Catching On for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Entering the season, there was some thought that Henry Davis may not be ready to catch in the major leagues. For the most part, that notion came from the Pittsburgh Pirates front office, who didn’t give Davis much of an opportunity to catch last year and went about the winter trying to acquire another catcher. So far, Davis hasn’t caught a base stealer in four attempts against him, but his receiving and framing have looked good. His hard work in the offseason appears to have paid off. Maybe he worked at it too hard. His offense has suffered early. The power-hitting catcher is 4-for-30 with no homers so far. Shelton batted him ninth in the order on Sunday. For now, the important thing is his catching. His offense should come along soon enough.
Instant Karma
Then again, maybe this is all a continuation of last year’s finish when the Pittsburgh Pirates were 35-32 after the veterans were traded away. It’s hard to put much stock in late-season performances by teams that are out of contention. It’s also hard to ignore how the young Bucs came together late in 2023 and seemed to have learned how to win. Those who spend time around the team are saying it just feels different this year. There’s a winning vibe among the Pirates players and a desire to keep this hot start going. Something is in the air in Pittsburgh, and it’s not another Code Orange ozone smog alert.
