Following a series loss at the hands of the Washington Nationals to open up the second half of the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates bounced back well this week. In a three game set, the Bucs took two of three from the Milwaukee Brewers and now have their sights set on a young Philadelphia Phillies squad.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (49-46) have now gone 5-5 in their last 10 games and sit 8.5 games back in the National League Central race. The Bucs also sit three games back in the Wild Card race as the Miami Marlins still maintain the second spot.
Following a season in which they lost 99 games, the Philadelphia Phillies have been a pleasant surprise this season. The Phillies (44-53) are fourth in the NL East division, ahead of the Atlanta Braves, and trail the Nationals by 13.5 games. The Phillies also sit nine games back in the Wild Card race.
The Pirates and Phillies don’t get to play very often, but the battle between the two Pennsylvania squads is always a good one to watch. This weekend, fans get the chance to watch two young teams go head to head.
The Pirates have obviously had success in the last few years while the Phils have struggled, but the young team from the east side of the state shouldn’t be underestimated. They have a young nucleus of talent that is bound to provide some intriguing matchups for this Pirates team, matchups that some fans have never seen before. Here are our three to keep an eye on this weekend.
3.) Gerrit Cole vs Phillies young stars/veterans
In Gerrit Cole’s first start since his DL stint, he wasn’t exactly himself. Cole gave up four earned runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out five in four innings against the Washington Nationals Saturday.
Tonight, Cole gets the opportunity to return to form. Cole, who is 3-1 with a 2.31 ERA in four career starts against the Phillies, doesn’t have a ton of experience against their new crop of young players. However, there are some in which he has faced a few times.
Odubel Herrera is a player that Cole has dominated in their limited amount of meetings. Last season, Herrera went 0-for-6 against Cole with five strikeouts. Herrera has also been slumping in his last seven games, hitting .115 in that span. The past success and Herrera’s recent slump are two things that could give Cole an extra boost going into this particular matchup.
When it comes to guys Cole has struggled against, the Pirates ace hasn’t exactly figured out Maikel Franco. The young third baseman is 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored against Cole in his career. Franco has struggled in his last seven contests, hitting .103 with seven strikeouts, but he will look to bounce back against a guy he has hit well, despite the small sample size.
Cole has also had success against some of the Phillies veterans, holding Ryan Howard to a .222 batting average and Carlos Ruiz to a .143 clip. These two are still the leaders on this ball club, serving as mentors for the younger crop. Despite the struggles, they shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Cole’s transition back to the mound wasn’t an easy one in Washington. However, he has a good opportunity to bounce back against a team, and some individual players, that he has faired well against before. It will be interesting to see if he can regain his form and lead the Bucs to a series opening victory.
2.) John Jaso vs Aaron Nola
Tomorrow night, the Phillies send Aaron Nola to the mound in game two of this weekend series. Nola will be making his first career start against the Pirates, which means he will be facing most of their guys for the first time. I say “most” because there is one guy that Nola has faced before.
Last season, Nola got a glimpse of what John Jaso brings to the table. In a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Nola faced Jaso three times, allowing two hits, including one double, to the now Pirates first baseman.
Both Nola and Jaso have had their fair share of struggles this season, which makes this matchup that more interesting. Nola is 5-8 with a 4.41 ERA in 18 starts this season and had a dreadful 10.42 ERA in five June starts.
Jaso has also found himself in the midst of a tough stretch, hitting .197 in the month of June and compiling a .238 average this month. Despite these struggles and being lowered in the lineup recently, Jaso is hitting .266 this season with four home runs and 25 RBIs in 81 games.
After hitting primarily out of the leadoff spot this season, Jaso was moved down to sixth in the Pirates batting order on Thursday against Milwaukee. It will be interesting to see if he stays in that spot against Philadelphia and if his small amount of success against Nola can lead to an escape from his recent slump.
1.) Jameson Taillon vs Vince Velasquez
The game three pitching matchup is probably the most interesting matchup in this series. It’s intriguing because it involves two young starting pitchers who have recently come off of the disabled list and will be making their first starts against the team they will be facing on Sunday.
Since coming off of the DL at the end of June, Vince Velasquez has been red hot for the Phillies, compiling a 3-0 record with a 1.88 ERA in four starts. The 24-year old has put up ace like numbers in general this season, going 8-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 16 starts. Aside from one at-bat for David Freese, many of the Pirates will be facing Velasquez for the very first time.
In his first start back from the DL, Jameson Taillon was masterful for the Pirates on Tuesday night. Despite taking a line drive to the head in the second inning of the contest, Taillon allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out three in six innings.
In six starts this season, Taillon has improved every step of the way, compiling a 2-1 record with a 3.44 ERA that continues to shrink. Like Velasquez against the Bucs, the Phillies offense will be getting their first experience of what Taillon brings to the table.
With the success that these two young stars have had at this point in their career, this matchup is not one you will want to miss. If you are a fan of quality pitching, be sure to tune in Sunday and keep an eye on the rest of our matchups as the series progresses.
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