Just 10 home games separate the Pittsburgh Pirates from the All-Star Break, and quite honestly, it might be the most important 10-game stretch of the season, considering what could happen following the break.
Starting tonight, the Pittsburgh Pirates host 10 straight games at PNC Park, as the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals, and Milwaukee Brewers come to down before the four-day break kicks into gear.
As I mentioned in a previous article, the Pirates really struggle against teams with .500 or better records on the season. All three teams coming to PNC Park in the next 10 games own records of .500 or better, highlighted by the NL Central-leading Brewers.
Through 13 games (with one postponed due to weather), the Pirates are a combined 3-10 against the Brewers, Nationals, and Phillies. Those 10 losses include two series sweeps on the road, in which the Pirates were outscored 24-8 by the Nationals, and 18-5 by the Phillies.
Playing at PNC Park could give the Pirates a boost, where they’re 21-21, compared to 19-25 on the road, but considering their track record against the three visiting teams, it could be an ugly send-off into the break, jumpstarting a long list of potential changes to the current makeup of the 2018 Pirates.
Realistically, this could be one of the final times fans get a chance to see guys like Francisco Cervelli, Josh Harrison, David Freese, and Jordy Mercer play at home for a long stretch. Following the break, the Pirates have just four games ate home before the July 31 trade deadline. I don’t expect Neal Huntington to wait very long after the break to start making changes to the structure of the roster, meaning those changes could come when the Pirates are on the road following the All-Star Game.
Take it all in now, Pirates fans. Enjoy watching those guys mentioned above these next 10 games in person. They could be the last games in a Pirates uniform at PNC Park.
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