For the first time since July 27, the Pittsburgh Pirates will play a home game. After a six game road trip in Milwaukee and Atlanta, the Bucs begin a three game weekend series with the Cincinnati Reds, starting tonight at PNC Park.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (52-52) are in the midst of yet another slump. They have lost six of their last eight games and look to bounce back in front of the home crowd. The Bucs still remain in the Wild Card race, sitting three games back for the second spot, but sit 12.5 games back in the division race.
The Cincinnati Reds (44-63) own one of the worst records in baseball and currently sit in last place in the National League Central. Despite these struggles, the Reds have won six of their last 10 games.
Don’t let the Reds fool you. They provide a less than stellar matchup for the Pirates, a team that has recently lost five out of their last six games against teams with records under the .500 mark. The Pirates are 4-4 against the Reds this season and this series is bound to provide some intriguing matchups. Here are our three to watch:
3.) Jameson Taillon vs Anthony DeSclafani
Tonight, two young stars take the mound for their respective teams as Jameson Taillon takes the hill for the Pirates and Anthony DeSclafani toes the rubber for the Reds.
It’s no secret that Taillon has had a very good start to his major league career. The 24-year old is 2-2 with a 3.52 ERA in eight major league starts.
When looking deeper into Taillon’s success, it’s easy to notice that he has been undoubtedly better on the road than at home. Taillon is 2-2 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in four road starts, but he holds a 4.50 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP in four starts at PNC Park.
Taillon’s command has been exceptional as he has allowed five walks in 46 innings with the Pirate this season. However, he has had issues with the long ball, allowing seven home runs.
Despite missing some time this season due to an Oblique Strain, Anthony DeSclafani has been a breath of fresh air on a Reds team that hasn’t had much to cheer about. The 26-year old is undefeated this season with a 6-0 record and sports a 2.93 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 10 starts. DeSclafani has also compiled a quality start in eight of his 10 outings this season.
While Taillon will be making his first career start against the Reds, DeSclafani has had experience in the past against the Pirates. Starling Marte and Josh Harrison are both hitless in a combined 12 at-bats and Jordy Mercer is 4-for-9 with one RBI in his career against the Reds starter.
It will be interesting to see if DeSlafani can stay undefeated or if Taillon can end his struggling ways at PNC Park and pick up his first career home victory.
2.) Andrew McCutchen vs Homer Bailey
After missing the entire series in Atlanta, Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen is expected to return to the Pirates lineup during this series against the Reds.
McCutchen’s struggles this season have been highly publicized and his benching against the Braves was as well. McCutchen has endured the worst slump of his career this season, hitting .241 in 97 games. The home runs are there as he has hit 15 this season, but he is only hitting .195 in his last seven games.
No professional athlete wants to sit on the bench. No athlete in general wants to do that, but perhaps this is what McCutchen needed. He was allowed some time to work through his struggles, but that obviously wasn’t working out.
Putting McCuthen back in the lineup for the Reds series would be beneficial in more ways than one. The former MVP is hitting much better at home (.254) than he is on the road (.229) and he has had success in the past against the Reds and tomorrow night’s starter Homer Bailey.
In 124 career games, McCutchen is hitting .265 with 26 home runs against the Reds. Those 26 home runs are the most against any opponent McCutchen has faced in his career.
When it comes to Homer Bailey, the Pirates slugger has faced him more than anyone in baseball not named Matt Holliday. In his career against Bailey, McCutchen is 13-for-43 (.302) with two doubles, one triple, two RBI, 11 walks and 11 strikeouts.
This weekend matchup gives McCutchen a perfect opportunity to return to the lineup. The matchup against the Reds pitching, particularly against Bailey, are favorable for the Pirates star to possibly break out and help the Pirates get out of their recent losing skid.
1.) Ivan Nova vs Reds in Pirates debut
In case anyone was living under a rock for the past week, one of the best days in baseball occurred this past Monday. Due to the leap year, the annual Trade Deadline took place on Aug. 1 instead of the normal July 31 date.
The Pirates were one of many teams that were active at the deadline as they made some moves that made sense and others that have been openly criticized by many.
One of the Pirates deadline acquisitions was starting pitcher Ivan Nova, who the Bucs acquired from the New York Yankees for two players to be named later. Nova is expected to make his Pirates debut tomorrow night against Homer Bailey.
Nova has been average since entering the league in 2010. He put up a couple of very stellar seasons in the first few years of his career, but since undergoing Tommy John Surgery in 2014, he hasn’t been the same pitcher.
This season, Nova is 7-6 with a 4.90 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 21 appearances (15 starts). The 29-year old essentially takes Francisco Liriano‘s spot in the starting rotation as the southpaw was shipped to the Toronto Blue Jays at the deadline.
It will be very interesting to see how Nova does in his first start as a Pirate. Nova has a 2.72 ERA in 17 career games against National League ball clubs and fans shouldn’t judge this trade strictly by looking at Nova’s numbers this season. The J.A. Happ trade of last year should have taught everyone not to judge before seeing what an acquisition can do for a team.
Nova does have some upside as he tends to strike out guys at a high rate and is walking hitters at a career low 2.31 BB/9 rate. Hopefully a change in scenery is all Nova needs in order to return to his 2013 form when he sported a 3.10 ERA in 23 appearances.
Nova is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in two career starts against the Reds. Brandon Phillips is the only current Reds player to have plate appearances against the newest Pirate, picking up one hit in three at-bats.
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