{"id":82224,"date":"2024-08-06T00:13:06","date_gmt":"2024-08-06T04:13:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=82224"},"modified":"2024-08-06T00:13:06","modified_gmt":"2024-08-06T04:13:06","slug":"pirates-bullpen-nicolas-important-role","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2024\/08\/06\/pirates-bullpen-nicolas-important-role\/","title":{"rendered":"One Pirates Pitcher Should Have a More Important Bullpen Role"},"content":{"rendered":"

As their bullpen continues to blow leads and rake up demoralizing losses, the Pittsburgh Pirates should look to Kyle Nicolas<\/a>. This past weekend at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Pirates lost two of three. They could have won all three games with effective performances from the bullpen. On Friday night, the Pirates lost, 9-8, when three relievers gave up three runs in the final three innings. In the seventh inning, Aroldis Chapman<\/a> surrendered a home run to former Pirate Josh Bell<\/a>. Colin Holderman<\/a> gave up a run in the eighth, followed by a ninth-inning homer by Ketel Marte<\/a> against Dennis Santana<\/a>. Bell and Marte each hit two home runs on that evening. Bell has been a Pirate killer since they traded him to the Washington Nationals in 2020. He\u2019s the 21st-century version of Art Howe<\/a>, who killed the Pirates with clutch hits after they traded him in 1976.<\/p>\n

To add insult to injury, Holderman wasted another solid outing by Paul Skenes<\/a> on Sunday. Holderman entered that game in the seventh inning with the Pirates ahead, 4-2. He got in trouble right away by sandwiching two walks around a sacrifice bunt. It looked like he might pitch out of it after striking out Marte. Unfortunately, Joc Pederson<\/a> rained on the Pirates\u2019 parade by launching a three-run home run to deep left-center field when Holderman was one strike away from ending the inning. Arizona went on to win that one, 6-5.<\/p>\n

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Ready for it? \ud83d\udc0d<\/p>\n

The @Dbacks<\/a> are back in front after a 3-run homer from Joc Pederson. pic.twitter.com\/mOHIfZng7S<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MLB (@MLB) August 4, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n