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Pirates Morning Report: Rays Bats Come Alive To Even Series

Final Score: Rays 7 Guardians 3

Why The Rays Won: It took a while, but the Rays offense finally came alive. They scored 6 runs in the last 4 innings of the game. They banged out 11 hits, including a home run and two doubles. Nick Martinez gave up a run and two hits in the first inning and did not give up a hit for the next 4 and 2/3 innings. The Rays survived a very shaky inning by lefty Ian Seymour in the bottom of the 7th. He gave up 2 runs on 4 hits. He got the first two outs and then all hell broke loose. He gave up a home run and 3 straight singles, and the Guardians had cut the lead to 5-3. I was a little surprised that Kevin Cash left him in the game even with left hand batter Steven Kwan coming to the plate. Seymour was able to get Kwan to hit a dribbler down the first base line. Seymour did a nice job covering first base and they barely got Kwan to end the inning. The Rays added 2 runs in the top of the 9th on a 2run homer by Yandy Diaz to sew up the win. Rays now know that they will be going back to Tampa.

Key Moments Of The Game: The top of the 6th could have been a key moment if the Rays had lost this one. The Rays had taken the lead 2-1 and had runners on 2nd and 3rd with no one out. Lefty Tim Herrin came in for the Guardians and put out the fire. The Rays sent the runner from 3rd with no outs on a sharp ground ball to first and was easily thrown out. Victory Mesa Jr. struck out, and Jonny Deluca popped out to end the inning. You thought the Rays might have blown the game on that sequence. It looked like it might repeat itself in the top of the 7th. After two singles to open the 7th, the Rays pulled off a double steal to have 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Diaz struck out. Jonathan Aranda saved the day by hitting a line drive for a single to right field. Chase DeLauter let the ball get by him which sent Aranda all the way to third. He scored a very important 5th run on a sacrifice fly. Cleveland threatened in the bottom of the 7th scoring 2 runs but could not get the big hit to tie or take the lead.

Next Game: Tonight Rays vs Guardians in Cleveland. With the postponement of game 4 there will be no off days the rest of series. Can the Rays bats continue to stay hot? Can the Guardians bullpen survive a 6 or 7 game series? This will determine who wins this series. Stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: Designated Hitter

With the Guardian-Rays game canceled due to weather, I turned my attention to the Pirates’ designated hitter position, which has emerged as a significant weakness for the team in recent seasons. This issue was particularly evident during Marcell Ozuna’s disappointing performance last year, which ultimately led to his release in August. While the Pirates managed to improve their standing from last place to 27th in DH rankings, they continue to face challenges in identifying a genuine DH specialist who can consistently contribute to the lineup. Over the past three years, the team has fluctuated in rankings, finishing 18th, 29th, and 27th, demonstrating a persistent struggle to find a reliable solution at the plate. Through my research, I discovered that the top 12 teams in the DH category deployed highly effective strategies, with an impressive 10 of these teams qualifying for the playoffs. This statistic underscores the crucial role that a strong DH can play in a team’s overall success. Interestingly, four of those top teams, including the Phillies and Dodgers, relied heavily on standout individual players like Kyle Schwarber and Shohei Ohtani, both of whom boasted exceptional OPS+ numbers, reflecting their substantial offensive contributions. The other two teams the Astros and Rays used two very accomplished hitters. Yordan Alvarez had a league leading OPS+ of 190 for the Astros. Yandy Diaz was solid for the Rays with an OPS+ of 124. For all four teams these players had at least 587 appearances at the DH position. In contrast, five other teams, such as the Cubs and Orioles, favored a more collective, committee-based approach, ensuring that no single DH accumulated more than 283 plate appearances, which tends to dilute the impact of any one player. Furthermore, teams like the Braves, Yankees, and Rangers exhibited even more varied setups, employing different strategies that responded dynamically to injuries and player performance fluctuations. This diversity in approach sheds light on the complexity of constructing a formidable designated hitter strategy, ultimately reinforcing the necessity for the Pirates to reassess their options if they hope to enhance their offensive capabilities in the coming seasons.

What are the conclusions you can draw from all of that other than the Pirates have stunk at the DH position. Since the National League started the DH in 2022 the best the Pirates have done is finish 15th. The other conclusion I draw from all of this is unless you have an established super star hitter it is best to have the DH done by committee. The one thing I find interesting about the Braves splitting the DH almost equally is that both hitters are left handed. So, it was not a platoon thing. Unless the Pirates find that superstar hitter which is highly unlikely let’s hope the Pirates wake up and do the DH by committee. I know that is unlikely to happen, but we can all hope.

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Pirates Morning Report: Brewers Sweep Dodgers. Guardians Take 2-1 lead.

Final Score: Brewers 6 Dodgers 4

Game Summary: The Brewers were able to erase a 4-0 deficit to come back and sweep the Dodgers. The Dodgers simply could not take advantage of scoring situations which is why they lost this series 4 games to none. It looked like they were going to avoid the sweep. In the bottom of the 2nd they put together 3 singles to take a 1-0 lead. Shohei Ohtani then took 1-1 95 MPH cutter and blasted it 428 feet to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead. After that explosive inning the Dodgers went back to frustration city. Bottom of the 6th runner on 2nd with one out, could not score. Bottom of the 7th runner on third with one out, could not score. Bottom of the 8th runner on third with one out, could not score. Not taking anything away from Allen Ashby, the Dodgers hit two balls over 107 MPH in the bottom of the 9th that were caught for outs and this game was history. After falling behind 4-0 the Brewers just chipped away. Tyler Glasnow retired the first 10 batters he faced striking out 6. Then he walked Brice Turang on 6 pitches. William Contreres hit a ground rule double to put runners on second and third. Jake Bauers followed with another ground rule double to right and the lead was cut in half. The Brewers scored 2 runs in the 5th getting only one hit a single. Sal Frelick walked with one out and then stole second. David Hamilton singled to score Frelick to make the score 4-3. This sent Glasnow to the showers. After Jackson Churio lined out, Hamilton stole second. This led to the Dodgers intentionally walking Turang for the second time in two games. Evan Phillips could not find the plate after that and walked the next two batters to tie the score 4-4. It was a gift run for the Brewers. Garrett Mitchel homered to lead off the 6th and Hamilton hit a 2 out homer in the 9th to give the Brewers a two run cushion. The most amazing thing about this series is that the Brewers did not play all that well in the field, and walked a lot of batters, but the Dodgers just could not take advantage. The Brewers are World Series bound.

Final Score: Guardians 3 Rays 2

Game Summary: The Guardians pitching dominated the Rays. They could only get 3 hits. All the hits were extra base hits, but it was simply not enough. Seven innings the Rays were retired in order. In the 4th they were able to string together a double, a walk, and a triple to score their 2 runs. They had a one out double in the top of the 8th but could not score. Petey Halpin who had only 195 plate appearances during the regular season for the Guardians with a slash line of .225/.268/.326 was the unlikely hero. Patrick Bailey another punchless hitter who seems to have something in the postseason singled to open the 5th inning. This brought Halpin to the plate. He took a 2-2 96 MPH sinker that was thrown right down the middle and hit it into the right center field bleachers to give the Guardians a 3-2 lead. Even though the Guardians could not add on, the Rays really never came close to putting any kind of pressure on the pitching staff. The Guardians now lead the series 2 games to 1.

Next Game: Tonight, Rays vs. Guardians in Cleveland. Can the Guardians keep the Rays at bay offensively. That will be the key to this series. Guardians pitching is on a heater right now but that can end in the blink of an eye. One thing is for sure this series is looking like it will be a dog fight. Rays need to win one game in Cleveland to get back to Tampa. Stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: Another Epic At Bat Sends The Dodgers To The Brink Of Elimation

Final Score: Brewers 6 Dodgers 2

Why The Brewers Won: For the second consecutive game a Brewer batter had an epic at bat to start the Brewers toward a win. This time it was Jake Bauers who had an 11 pitch at bat against Blake Snell. On that 11th pitch he hit it out of the park with a runner on first to give the Brewers a 3-2 lead in the top of the 7th. Garrett Mitchell did not take near as long as he blasted the 2nd pitch in the seats to make it 4-2 and send Snell to the showers. The scary thing for the Dodgers is that they have scored 6 runs in the last 2 games. Four runs in game 2 and 2 runs last night. All of these runs were essentially gifted by the Brewers. Last night it was Abner Uribe walking the bases loaded which led to the Dodgers scoring 2 runs in the bottom of the 6th. The Dodgers have only had 8 hits combined in the two games. The Brewers will be going for the sweep tonight.

Key Moments Of The Game: It was indeed the bottom of the 6th and the top of the 7th. In the bottom of the 6th Uribe walked three batters to load the bases with one out. Will Smith took the first pitch he saw and ripped it into the left center field gap to knock in two runs, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out. This brought left hand pitcher DL Hall into the game. The Dodgers countered with pinch hitter Kike Hernandez. He never swung at the first four pitches taking 2 strikes. He swung at a slider almost in the dirt to strike out. Tommy Edman swung at the first three pitches that were out of the strike zone or borderline. He took a ball in the dirt. He was frozen on a 98 MPH sinker to be called out on strikes. The Dodgers missed a golden opportunity to score more runs. Hall went on to pitch another 1 and 2/3 inning of scoreless ball. Blake Snell had thrown only 81 pitches when he came out for the 7th inning. He had given up 1 run, a leadoff home run to Jackson Chourio, one other hit and one walk, while striking out 9 Brewers. It took him 7 pitches to walk Andrew Vaughn. Then came the back to back homers and Snell was gone with 101 pitches thrown. The Brewers were able to add on in the 8th and 9th which helped ease the pressure on the Brewer bullpen. The Dodgers really never threatened, and they find themselves down 3 games to none and in a monumental offensive slump.

Next Games: Both series continue today. The Guardians game has been moved up to 1PM to avoid some potential weather. The Brewers of course will be going for the sweep with a bullpen game. It will be up to Tyler Glasnow to keep the Brewers at bay if the Dodgers are to avoid being swept. The Dodgers have to find a way to score runs without the Brewers help. Stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: Lucky Hop Helps Rays Even Series

Final Score: Rays 3 Guardians 1

Why The Rays Won: Freddy Peralta continued his recent spectacular pitching going 6 innings giving up 0 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks. The Rays had 2 out lightening in the bottom of the 4th thanks to a weird hop to score all of their runs. The Rays bullpen was able to get through a shaky 7th inning to hold the Guardians to one run. After the seventh the Guardians never threatened again. The series now moves to Cleveland all tied at a game apiece. If the Guardians are going to make a series of this, they are going to have to find a way to score runs in their own park. In three playoff games so far, they have scored a total of 5 runs. They will have to do better than that in order to get back to Tampa Bay.

Key Moments Of The Game: It was scoreless going into the bottom of the 4th. The inning started with a walk to Junior Caminero. The Rays almost grounded into their 3rd double play in 4 innings but the call at first was overturned. Jonny DeLuca stuck out. Chandler Simpson got an infield hit to short that sent Victor Mesa Jr. to third. Ben Williamson hit a ground ball to third. The ball hit right where the grass ends on the infield. It took a crazy low left hop and went right between the legs of Jose Ramirez. He was charged with an error. The Rays now had runners on 2nd and 3rd. The Rays had not hit a ball over 90 MPH and now led 1-0. Liam Hicks did not waste anytime lacing the first pitch into right center field to drive in two runs to give the Rays a 3-0 lead they never relinquished. All 3 runs were unearned. The Guardians had a threat going in the top of the 7th. Another walk started the inning by Kevin Kelly. Kelly got the next batter to fly out. Steven Kwan singled to left field putting runners on 1st and 2nd. Jose Ramirez flied out to center field. The Rays brought in lefty Ian Seymour to face Chase DeLauter. DeLauter drilled a 1-0 a low inside sinker into the right field corner to score a run. I was a little surprised the Guardians did not try to send Kwan home from first base. Joe Adell struck out on 4 pitches swinging at the last two pitches that were not in the strike zone. The Guardians never got a man on base after that, and the Rays got their much needed split.

Next Game: The NLCS gets back into action tonight with the Dodgers needing a win or they will fall behind 3-0 in the series. The Dodgers’ bats are looking old right now. Will they be able to dig deep and some how get back into this series. The Brewers would love to return last year’s favor and sweep the Dodgers. Stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: Guardians Become Playoff Road Warriors. Brewers Take 2-0 Lead.

Final Score: Guardians 7 Rays 3

Game Summary: The Guardians are becoming playoff road warriors, displaying an impressive resilience and determination that has captured the attention of fans and analysts alike. They have won 3 consecutive playoff road games. In those 3 games, they have scored a total of 25 runs, an astonishing feat considering this is a team that was ranked 23rd in runs scored during the regular season. The offense cranked out 14 hits, demonstrating their adaptability and skill at the plate, with key contributions from players like Jose Ramirez and Chase Delauter. Delauter, in particular, was instrumental, hitting a crucial home run in the top of the 6th inning that ignited the Cleveland scoring and energized the team. Nathanial Lowe stepped up at a pivotal moment, delivering a big hit in the top of the 8th inning that drove in 2 runs, allowing the Guardians to establish a 4-2 lead and shift the momentum firmly in their favor. They broke the game wide open in the top of the 9th, scoring 3 additional runs that sealed their victory. Meanwhile, the Guardians bullpen continues to amaze, covering 5 innings and only giving up 1 run on 2 hits, while walking 2, which speaks volumes about their effectiveness and depth. The surprising outcome of game 1, with the Guardians displaying such dominance on the road, is a testament to their growth and commitment as they push toward playoff success.

Final Score: Brewers 7 Dodgers 4.

Game Summary: The bad news for the Dodgers among other things is that they could only manage 3 hits for the game, an abysmal performance that left fans wondering how they could turn things around. As good as the Guardians bullpen was, the Brewers bullpen proved to be even better, showcasing their dominance by not allowing a single base runner over the last 5 innings. No runs, no hits, no walks while striking out an impressive 7 batters, a feat that left the Dodgers’ hitters thoroughly frustrated. In the early going, this was a back-and-forth affair that got fans on the edge of their seats. Each team scored a run in the 1st inning, setting a competitive tone. The Dodgers took a brief 2-1 lead in the top of the 3rd, only to see it evaporate when the Brewers responded with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning. This crucial inning saw Jake Bauers possibly have the at-bat of the playoffs, forcing Dodger pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to throw an exhausting 12 pitches before finally drawing a walk. This impressive battle loaded the bases with 2 outs, and the increasing tension in the stadium became palpable. Christian Yelich then stepped up, taking a 1-0 curveball and lacing it into centerfield to drive in 2 vital runs. This stellar hit chased Yamamoto from the mound, who had to throw a staggering 75 pitches just to get through 2 and 2/3 innings, a clear testament to his struggles. The Dodgers retook the lead in the top of the 5th, thanks to another throwing error by the Brewers pitcher Logan Henderson and a timely sacrifice fly. William Contreras, who was on fire with 3 RBIs, hit a monumental home run in the bottom of the inning, tying the game at 4-4 and energizing the Brewers’ crowd. The Brewers then scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the 6th on a sharp single by Contreras after they intentionally walked Brice Turang to get to him, a questionable strategy by the Dodgers that proved costly. Even though the Brewers added 2 more runs in the bottom of the 8th, it seemed unnecessary with the way their bullpen went into shutdown mode, effectively sealing the game and leaving the Dodgers reeling.

Next Game: Guardians and Rays, Game 2 in Tampa Bay. The Rays will need to come back tonight and I expect they will. I am sure there is no panic by the Rays. The way the Guardians have played in Cleveland the Rays still have a good shot at winning the series. Regardless this was an upset in Game 1. Can Cleveland keep the momentum going? Stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: Brewers Take Game 1

Final Score: Brewers 2 Dodgers 1

Why The Brewers Won: The Brewers were able to keep the Dodgers from getting the big hit. The Brewers’ pitchers managed to get the Dodgers to ground into three double plays. Both big time starters had their issues. Jacob Misiorowski was touched up for one run on five hits while walking three. He could only go four and one-third innings, taking 94 pitches to do so. After getting off to a hot start, Tarik Skubal, who only gave up one hit and struck out six over the first three innings, was touched up for a run in the fourth and fifth innings. Skubal gave up a leadoff home run to Brice Turang in the fourth. Then he really struggled in the fifth. The Brewers scratched out a run in the inning with a walk, a sacrifice bunt, and a single by Luis Lara to make the score 2-1. After a ground out, Skubal gave up a single and a walk to load the bases. He got out of the inning by getting William Contreras to fly out to right field. From that point on, both bullpens took over the game. The Dodgers’ bullpen gave up just one hit and walked two. The Brewers’ bullpen gave up two hits and walked three but kept the Dodgers off the board to preserve the victory in Game One.

Key Moments Of The Game: The Dodgers had lots of traffic on the base paths in the early going but none more so than in the 2nd inning. Shohei Ohtani opened the inning with a four pitch walk and none of the pitches were close. Misiorowski missed on the first two pitches to Teoscar Hernandez. Hernandez worked the count to 3-2. He took the 7th pitch and lined it into right field for a base hit sending Ohtani to second. Max Muncy struck out on 4 pitches. Andy Pages singled to right driving in Ohtani and moving Hernandez to second. Kyle Tucker walked to load the bases. This brought up playoff legend Kike Hernandez in another key situation. He worked the count out to 2-2. He pulled a 90 MPH slider right to the shortstop for a huge inning ending double play. The Dodgers got the leadoff man on base in the next two innings but could do nothing with it. In fact, the Dodgers had only one inning the 7th when they did not have a runner on base. They had 7 hits to go along with 6 walks but could only muster the one run. They did not make the Brewers pay for giving up all of those walks. In the top of the 9th Trevor Megill walked two after two were out but was able to get Mookie Betts to fly out to deep center field to end the game. The Brewers will not be swept this year.

The Next Games: The American League Championship Series gets underway with the Rays and Guardians going at it. The Dodgers and the Brewers will be the first game starting at 5:00. It will be interesting to see how the Guardians’ pitching staff will hold up in the ALCS. World Series hero Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be going for the Dodgers this afternoon. The Brewers have won 3 of their 4 playoff games by one run. The other win was a tense 3-1 victory against the Padres that took a home run-robbing catch to preserve the win. If they pull this out today, their confidence should be at an all-time high. Stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report: Right Field

The Pirates were ranked 18th in right field, a position that proved to be a challenging one for the team this season. Esmerlyn Valdez had 259 plate appearances in right field, an opportunity that allowed him to showcase his skills and potential. This was followed by Ryan O’Hearn, who contributed to the team with 175 plate appearances. Despite experiencing a very poor final 44 games for Valdez at the plate, he finished the season with a commendable slash line of .232/.345/.510, leading to an OPS+ of 130, which was notably impressive and second only to the standout performance of Oneil Cruz. Ryan O’Hearn also had a respectable offensive output, ending the season with a solid slash line of .265/.330/.440, resulting in an OPS+ of 108, which reflects his contribution to the team’s overall performance. However, where both players fell short was on defense. Neither player excelled defensively, as both were below average fielders, with O’Hearn struggling the most, recording -5 in defensive runs saved, while Valdez was slightly better at -3. O’Hearn’s defensive struggles extended to first base, where he recorded a negative 2, which, while not as severe, still suggests room for improvement. Looking ahead, Valdez will turn 23 next season, and with the experience and lessons learned from this past year, there is hope that he will develop further and refine his skills, both offensively and defensively, to become a more well-rounded player for the Pirates.

Valdez should be the full-time right fielder for 2027, bringing his skills and experience to bolster the team’s offensive and defensive capabilities. O’Hearn should be the starting first baseman, as he can provide stability and power at the plate, effectively replacing Spencer Horwitz, who should be traded to allow for fresh talent acquisition that could further enhance the team’s dynamics. This past season, the Pirate outfield ranked 15th overall, which is quite an impressive leap from 2025, when they found themselves struggling at 27th place. This improvement showcases the development of the players, as well as strategic adjustments made by the coaching staff. However, while the progress is commendable, the team still has a glaring need for a big-time center fielder who can handle the pressure of the position and elevate the overall performance of the outfield. Given their trajectory, I would be surprised if we see such a necessary addition before the start of the 2027 season.

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Pirates Morning Report: We Are Down To The Final Four.

The Championship Series begins tonight with the Brewers facing off against the Dodgers, marking a key moment in the postseason that fans and players alike have eagerly awaited. Although I have not seen much of the playoffs up to this point, I did manage to catch the Guardians’ impressive 2-0 victory over the White Sox, which capped off a thrilling comeback after being down 2-0 in the series. The White Sox, a team known for their tendency to strike out frequently, truly took things to new heights last night by striking out an astonishing 21 times, shattering the postseason record for strikeouts in a game. There were 99 pitches thrown that ended either as a strike or a ball being put in play. Out of those, the White Sox only managed to take 20 called strikes. They swung at 23 pitches that were out of the zone. They swung at 56 pitches that were actually in the strike zone, yet still managed to miss consistently. They simply could not make contact with what the Guardians’ pitchers were delivering. The White Sox only put a total of 9 balls in play throughout the game, and of that total, only one – a fly out – was from a pitch that was swung at outside of the strike zone. The remaining 22 consisted of foul balls or swings and misses. In a particularly frustrating top of the 6th inning, they loaded the bases but failed to convert that opportunity into runs. There were 5 White Sox players who had 2 or more plate appearances yet did not manage to put a ball in play all night long, which underlines the dominance of the Guardians’ pitching staff. This performance ranks as one of the most dominant pitching efforts in the history of baseball, defying expectations that the Guardians’ pitching staff would be worn out after extensive use, especially given their substantial leads in games 3 and 4. Perhaps the notion that pitchers are fragile is a myth after all. The Guardians’ staff can now say they proved their endurance in such a critical moment.

We are finally back to best of 7 baseball with the Dodgers facing the Brewers tonight in Milwaukee, where the atmosphere is sure to be electric as fans rally behind the Brewers. The Rays and Guardians will open on Monday night with a matchup that has been highly anticipated, stirring excitement among baseball enthusiasts. I am hoping the Brewers and the Rays, two teams that have shown incredible resilience and talent throughout the season, make it to the World Series. I honestly feel that both series are toss ups, as each game could swing in any direction depending on the performance of key players. The Rays would seem to have a big advantage over the Guardians with a well-rested pitching staff, which could prove crucial in a seven-game series where fatigue can take its toll on pitchers. This is a 7 game series, where every decision counts, and maybe Cleveland will just figure to rest most of their pitchers for game 1 and just hope for the best, a gamble that could backfire or pay off handsomely. This would be almost like a game one forfeit, but the Guardians might consider it if they think they have a stronger chance in the later games. I am sure the Guardians would not admit this strategy openly, but it would not be a bad tactical move if they believe in their bullpen’s strength. I will be watching all of these games intensely since I am done traveling until Christmas. It should be a great week of baseball, filled with memorable moments, stunning plays, and perhaps a few surprises that keep us all on the edge of our seats.

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Pirates Morning Report: Center field

The Pirates had the 14th ranked center fielder in the league, which shows they certainly had room for improvement in this critical position. Oneil Cruz had 381 plate appearances at center field during the season, showcasing his ability to be a primary player for the team. Jake Mangum contributed with 251 plate appearances, filling in as needed. Cruz’s bat emerged as a significant asset. He posted an impressive slash line of .280/.368/.486, demonstrating both his power and on-base capabilities. His skill at the plate culminated in an OPS+ of 131, marking him as the best offensive performer among Pirates’ players this season. Conversely, Mangum struggled notably during the latter half of the season, particularly after the All-Star break, where he slashed a disappointing .238/.295/.335. Ultimately, his OPS+ for the season settled at 90, which is 10% below the league average, which is a clear indicator of his challenges at the plate. Furthermore, in terms of defense, he is not particularly distinguished, with a defensive runs saved metric of -3 in center field. Although he showed some competence compared to Cruz, who finished with a -7 in defensive runs saved—an improvement over the staggering -14 he recorded in 2025—both players still fall short of being reliable defensive assets. Center field is recognized as one of the most vital defensive positions on the team, often requiring a combination of speed, agility, and baseball intelligence. Therefore, the Pirates’ decision to play two players who are below average in this critical spot raises questions about their strategic approach and commitment to enhancing their overall defensive capabilities.

In my view, Cruz should be moved to the corner position of right field, where he can utilize his considerable skills more effectively. He also has the most value at the moment on the trade market, making it essential for the management to capitalize on this opportunity. If he was on the Tampa Bay Rays, one of the most strategic teams in the league, he would likely be playing somewhere else in 2027, emphasizing how teams recognize talent like his. On the other hand, I am not too sure that Mangum should even be on the team next year, considering the recent performance analysis. In 479 plate appearances, he only walked 25 times, indicative of a concerning inability to draw walks and extend at-bats. In order for him to really be an asset, he needs to have better command of the strike zone, honing his plate discipline to become a more complete player. Even though he looks like the prototypical leadoff hitter with his speed and agility, he does not perform well in that critical role. He led off the game 35 times this year but managed to hit only .233, walking 3 times and getting hit by the pitch twice, which reflects a lack of impact in those situations. He led off an inning 115 times this season, batting a disappointing .204 and getting on base at a mere rate of .287, showcasing how ineffective he has been in generating scoring opportunities. I know he is noted for his hustle and drive; however, that can only take you so far in a league that demands excellence. It’s not even like he is that young, as he will be entering his age 31 season, a time when most players should be at their peak. Mangum needs to improve his game dramatically or he should be seriously considering looking for a new job outside of professional baseball. This all boils down to one critical truth: the Pirates need a solid major league center fielder to enhance their roster and competitive edge. At the moment, they do not have one, which is a significant concern for their long-term success in the league.