The Pittsburgh Pirates After 120 Games – Good, Bad & Surprises

The Pittsburgh Pirates just completed their 120th game of the season. Here are some of the standout and disappointing performances since game 81.

A lot has happened to the Pittsburgh Pirates since we last checked in on them after they completed their 80th game of the season. The trade deadline came and went, and some new players came to the team while some other familiar faces went to new clubs. Let’s take a look at where the Pirates stand in terms of a playoff spot along with some of the good and some of the bad from the last 40 games.

Record: 62-58

Games back in NL Central: 15

Games back of the 2nd NL Wild Card: 2

The Good

Taillon has become the most consistent starter in the rotation

Since joining the team for his first career start at the MLB level on June 8th, Jameson Taillon has been one of, if not the most consistent starter in the Pittsburgh rotation. During the course of the season, the team has seen starters leave the rotation due to trades (Francisco Liriano, Jon Niese), poor performance (Jeff Locke, Jon Niese) and injury (Gerrit Cole, Tyler Glasnow), but Taillon has been the one starter that Clint Hurdle has been able to count on this summer.

Taillon has compiled a 3-2 record to go along with an even 3.00 ERA in his first 11 starts with the Pirates. While those numbers may not blow you away, some of his other stats are very impressive. Nine of his eleven starts have registered as quality starts, the only two that were not were two back to back outings when he lasted just four innings and gave up four runs.

Taillon also sports a very impressive BB/K ratio so far in his young career. He’ll take a 9/52 BB/K ratio into his next start and has only issued two walks in two starts (his debut and August 11th). In the month of July he struck out 16 batters and did not walk any. There is little doubt at this point that if the Pirates are able to get into the Wild Card game, Taillon should be the starter.

Mercer in the middle of what could be a career year

Jordy Mercer has bounced back very nicely after a rough 2015 campaign. Last season Mercer slashed .244/.293/.320 with three home runs and 34 RBIs in 113 at-bats. This season so far, Mercer is slashing .264/.340/.374 with 8 home runs and 44 RBIs in 401 at-bats. At this rate he has a very good chance of setting career highs in most offensive categories. His career high in home runs is 12, set in 2014 and his career high batting average is .285, set the year before.

Sure, there is still over a month to go in the season and anything can happen, but right now Mercer is quietly solidifying his spot with the team going forward. He might not be the rangiest shortstop in the league, but the Pirates will certainly take this level of offensive output in exchange for the occasional ball that gets through the left side of the field.

Kuhl has turned into a good back of rotation option

The emergence of Chad Kuhl has been one of the bright spots for the team’s pitching situation is year. While Kuhl was not in the same category as some of the prospects that have made their debuts this season, he has turned into a very good option for the back end of the rotation. He does not feature a blazing fastball like some of his rotation mates, but lately he has figured out how to get hitters out.

For the season, Kuhl has compiled a 3-1 record and a 3.62 ERA. In his last four starts, he has pitched 37.1 innings and over surrendered 15 earned runs. Even though he has not factored into the decision of every game he has pitched, the Pirates have won each game he started, except for his last start against the Marlins. There are better metrics for judging a pitcher than win-loss record, but it’s a testament to Kuhl that he has been able to keep the team in every game he has pitched (except for perhaps his abbreviated start against Chicago on July 9th).

The Bad

Glasnow stumbles at the MLB level

Other than Jameson Taillon, Tyler Glasnow was one of the most anticipated callups for the Pirates in 2016. Unfortunately, Glasnow’s season has been the polar opposite of Taillon’s. Some of this could be due to an injury that ultimately landed him on the disabled list, or it could be that he still needs some time in the minors to refine his approach.

Glasnow has made two starts for the Pirates this season, and in both he exhibited the control issues that have plagued him during his time in the minors. In his debut against the Cardinals on July 7th, he lasted just five and a third innings and gave up four runs on three hits and two walks. He did strike out five batters though, so he did demonstrate that he can get outs with with pitch arsenal.

His next start was even shorter as he was removed in the fourth inning on July 23rd against the Phillies. It was reported that he was dealing with an injury, which put him on the disabled list. But still, through two starts at the highest level of the game, Glasnow has walked five against seven walks in just over eight innings of work. He could be a boost the the Pirates as they push for a playoff spot, but given his performance so far, that is optimistic.

Have they really been playing the best 25?

Remember Josh Bell? It’s ok if you don’t, because it seems like the Pirates forgot about him. He made a brief appearance for the Pirates in July, getting hits in both of his at-bats, including a monster grand slam. He also drew two walks and didn’t strike out. You might be wondering what he is up to nowadays, and that is continuing to punish AAA pitching to the tune of .295/.383/.470 with 14 HR and 59 RBI. At least that was the case until recently.

Now, a team making a playoff push could certainly have used this type of production during the summer, right? Especially if the incumbent left handed first baseman has been struggling as of late? For some reason, that is not the case with the Pirates as they continue to trot out John Jaso and his .256/.343/.366 slash line. Whether it’s the money he is owed or that the team honestly believes he can turn his season around, management seems hesitant to either move him to a bench role or cut him outright.

But now that the news has come out that Jung ho Kang will be sidelined for at least two weeks, the team has decided to give Bell another chance. This should be an excellent opportunity for him to get his feet wet at the MLB level since he is the heir apparent to the starting first base job in 2017. It just would have been nice if he had been called up sooner.

Watson struggles in the closer’s role

Speaking of heir apparents, once the team decided to trade Mark Melancon to the Washington Nationals, Tony Watson became the team’s closer for the rest of this year and the foreseeable future. But since Watson took over the role, he has certainly made things interesting on occasion.

Since August 2nd, Watson has converted seven of his eight save opportunities. Besides the save opportunity that he blew, he has also given up runs in two other appearances. He has walked (four) almost as many as he has struck out (five). These are not the kinds of numbers that the team wants out of a closer, but perhaps Watson is just having some growing pains as he gets used to his new job with the team.

So there they are some of the good and some of the bad from the third quarter of the season for the Pirates. The team has struggled at some points but they still have an outside shot of making the playoffs. Their performance in the last 40 or so games, many against subpar teams, will determine if they’ll be playing baseball in October or watching it from the comfort of their living rooms.