The Pittsburgh Pirates (62-72, 5th NL Central) are set to conclude a three-game interleague series against the Cleveland Guardians (77-58, 1st AL Central) on Sunday. After a tough loss on Friday, where they fell 10-8, the Pirates have now dropped four consecutive games. They find themselves 16 ½ games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central and 11 ½ games out of the final NL wildcard position. Conversely, Cleveland has secured two consecutive victories and holds a 2 ½ game lead in the American League Central. The Pirates are set to miss seven pitchers and several position players, including Ke’Bryan Hayes, Rowdy Tellez, Joey Bart, and Endy Rodriguez. The Guardians will also be without seven pitchers, while Josh Naylor’s status remains uncertain.
Note: This article was prepared before the Saturday matchup.
Pittsburgh Faces Challenges at the Plate and on the Mound
The Pittsburgh Pirates rank 22nd in runs scored (568) and 23rd in batting average (.237). Their on-base percentage (.303) and slugging percentage (.376) also sit at 25th in the league. Bryan Reynolds leads the team with 21 home runs, 74 RBIs, and 148 hits, while Oneil Cruz follows with 18 home runs and 68 RBIs. The Pirates have recorded 199 doubles, 16 triples, and 134 home runs, totaling 349 extra-base hits over 134 games.
In terms of pitching, Pittsburgh is ranked 6th in Quality Starts (57) but struggles with a 19th place ERA of 4.16. Their WHIP stands at 23rd (1.31), and they allow a batting average of .252, placing them 25th in that category. Mitch Keller, slated to start on Sunday, boasts an 11-8 record with a 3.84 ERA, leading the team in both wins and strikeouts (138).
Cleveland Shines with Balanced Offense and Solid Pitching
The Guardians rank 12th in runs scored (618) and have a batting average of .239, placing them 21st. Their on-base percentage (.310) and slugging percentage (.395) rank 17th. Jose Ramirez tops the team with 33 home runs and 104 RBIs, while Josh Naylor contributes with 28 home runs and 94 RBIs. Cleveland has amassed 206 doubles, 16 triples, and 154 home runs, totaling 376 extra-base hits in 135 games.
On the pitching side, Cleveland excels, ranking 7th in batting average allowed (.235) and 10th in ERA (3.87). Their WHIP is 8th (1.23), although they sit at 29th in Quality Starts (34). Ben Lively leads the team in wins with 11, while Tanner Bibee has recorded the most strikeouts (156) and holds an ERA of 3.65. Alex Cobb is expected to start for Cleveland on Saturday, with a current season record of 1-1 and an ERA of 5.35.
Analysis for Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cleveland Guardians
Mitch Keller, the right-hander for Pittsburgh, has given up 11 runs and 18 hits over his last 19 innings, during which the Pirates lost two of three games. Despite this, Keller holds a respectable 3.84 ERA for the season. Meanwhile, Cleveland’s Alex Cobb has only pitched twice this season. In his last outing, he allowed just one run and three hits over 5.2 innings, showing promise. In his earlier appearance, however, Cobb struggled, yielding four runs in 4.2 innings during a 6-3 loss to Minnesota. Pittsburgh recently welcomed veteran Andrew McCutchen back from the injured list. McCutchen, who has 17 home runs and 43 RBIs this season, made a significant impact in his return, recording two hits, including a home run and three RBIs in his first game back on Friday.
