{"id":102822,"date":"2025-06-26T00:18:23","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T04:18:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=102822"},"modified":"2025-06-26T00:18:31","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T04:18:31","slug":"pirates-2025-midseason-report-cards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/06\/26\/pirates-2025-midseason-report-cards\/","title":{"rendered":"Pirates Midseason Report Cards: Failure\u2019s No Success at All"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tuesday\u2019s game marked the 2025 season\u2019s halfway point, and thus, the time for the Pittsburgh Pirates midseason report cards. Last Friday was the first day of summer, and thus the longest day of the year. For Pirates fans who expected more from the team than they\u2019ve received thus far, every game day must have felt like the longest day of the year.<\/p>\n

Pirates Midseason Report Cards are Out!<\/h2>\n

I still have nightmares about Report Card Day at Immaculate Conception School in sixth grade, where the principal Sister Doloreta entered our classroom and struck fear into the hearts of the kids who got bad grades, while the teacher, sweet Miss DiBucci, looked on and tried to tell her in so many words that the kids were trying, they just weren\u2019t very smart. These Pirates will suffer no such severe consequences as a result of these report cards. Hey, they\u2019re trying (with one notable exception – we’ll get to that), they\u2019re just not very good.<\/p>\n

Starting Pitchers<\/h3>\n

We begin with an area where they are <\/em>very good. Next time you\u2019re at your favorite watering hole debating that pitchers\u2019 win-loss records are meaningless, use the Pirates\u2019 starters as your example. After 81 games, they\u2019re 16-33 with a 3.78 ERA. However, their collective 2.3 WAR is 11th in all Major League Baseball.<\/p>\n

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Jun 25, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes throws a pitch in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most of that comes from second-year sensation Paul Skenes<\/a>. His 4.3 WAR leads MLB, as does his 1.85 ERA and 229 ERA+. He also leads the National League with a 0.882 WHIP and one complete game. He\u2019s been touched up in just two of his 16 starts. That he\u2019s just 4-6, thanks to bad support from his offense and his bullpen, is a crime. No bigger crime, however, than Mitch Keller<\/a>\u2019s 1-10 record that leads the majors in losses. Bailey Falter<\/a> and Andrew Heaney<\/a> have been solid left-handers who have put together strings of good pitching. The Carmen Mlodzinski<\/a> experiment didn\u2019t work<\/a>. Rookie Mike Burrows<\/a> has settled in after two rough starts in his place. The Pirates’ fifth starters will drag this grade down, but it\u2019s still the highest of all these report cards. Grade: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n

Relief Pitchers<\/h3>\n

This is the toughest group to evaluate. Pirates’ relief pitchers have suffered 16 losses and 15 blown saves. They\u2019ve also taken the mound night after night with little margin for error due to a weak offense, and their combined 0.2 WAR is tied for ninth-best in MLB. The bullpen, particularly David Bednar<\/a> and Colin Holderman<\/a>, struggled early as former manager Derek Shelton<\/a> cast them in roles that didn\u2019t suit them. A stint at Triple-A Indianapolis fixed what ailed closer Bednar. He\u2019s back to his old All-Star form, with 11 saves, a 2.93 ERA, and a 1.120 WHIP. Holderman remains on the injured list.<\/p>\n

Dennis Santana<\/a> and left-hander Caleb Ferguson<\/a> have been reliable late-inning options. So was Justin Lawrence<\/a> until he, too, landed on the IL. Chase Shugart<\/a> and rookies Isaac Mattson<\/a> and Braxton Ashcraft<\/a> have stepped up to provide solid work. Santana and Mattson have lower WHIPs than Skenes but are non-qualifiers. Grade: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n

Catchers<\/h3>\n

Pirates\u2019 catchers collectively have hit .217\/.307\/.306, while being \u201cworth\u201d -0.7 WAR, seventh worst in MLB. None has stood out. Joey Bart<\/a> and Henry Davis<\/a> have seen the bulk of the action behind the dish. Bart was hitting .297\/.416\/.405 at the end of April and was one of the Pirates\u2019 better hitters. Since then, however, he\u2019s hit .196\/.282\/.217. He still sports a solid .344 OBP, but he\u2019s batted at RBI positions in the order and come up short in that department, with just one home run and 13 RBI.<\/p>\n

Davis is the better defender of the two and showed flashes<\/a> of the hitter the Pirates thought he might be, but not nearly enough. He\u2019s hitting just .183\/.254\/.327, 4 HR, and 11 RBI. Endy Rodr\u00edguez<\/a> made the squad out of spring training and was expected to see significant duty behind the plate. However, a greater need at first base, combined with injuries<\/a>, has limited his time at catcher. Grade: D<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Infield<\/h3>\n

The Pirates have had to play much of the season without the projected right side of their infield. First baseman Spencer Horwitz<\/a> missed the beginning of the season due to wrist surgery<\/a> and didn\u2019t make his Pirates debut until May 17. Second baseman Nick Gonzales<\/a> suffered an ankle injury<\/a> on Opening Day and was out until June 3. Veteran Adam Frazier<\/a> was an adequate replacement<\/a> for Gonzales. On the other hand, Rodr\u00edguez, Jared Triolo<\/a>, and Enmanuel Vald\u00e9z<\/a> shared first base and didn\u2019t approach the kind of production needed there.<\/p>\n

Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa<\/a> has been the most consistent player in the infield. He was hitting .310\/.356\/.393 on June 3. Unfortunately, he\u2019s begun a regression to the mean<\/a>, hitting .183\/.231\/.233 since then. At third base, Ke\u2019Bryan Hayes<\/a> has provided the usual Gold Glove-caliber defense, responsible for six Fielding Runs Above Average (FRAA) and 10 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). But like many of his teammates, he\u2019s struggled with the bat, hitting just .232\/.284\/.283, 2 HR, and 22 RBI.<\/p>\n

In total, Pirates infielders have produced a .232\/.299\/.327 slash line. Recently, the bats of Horwitz and Gonzales have come alive. Horwitz is hitting .286\/.348\/.381 in June after a rocky start. Gonzales is 13-for-26 in his last six games. It\u2019s not enough to boost this grade. Grade: D<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Nick Gonzales’ first career five-hit game \ud83d\udc4f<\/p>\n

Play of the Day presented by @STIHLUSA<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/8eLmuDvtfJ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 24, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n