It is rare that you can look at a season and boil it down to two crucial stats where, if the team had just performed at the league average, they would undoubtedly be in the playoffs. The first stat has some speculation tied to it. This inefficiency in converting chances into runs not only highlights the team’s inconsistency at the plate but also serves as a reminder of missed opportunities that could have changed the course of their games. Conversely, the second stat presents a more straightforward narrative, as it illustrates a pitching failure that stands out starkly against league averages. The lack of effectiveness from key pitchers not only put additional pressure on the bullpen but also allowed too many runs to score, ultimately bridging the gap between a respectable season and one that could have seen the team competing in the postseason.
Even though the Pirates were a solid run-scoring team that wound up 6th in the league in runs scored, they were shut out 15 times. There were 3 teams that were shut out just as many times: the Mets, the Mariners, and the Angels. The Guardians were shut out 16 times, and the Reds 17 times. There were 7 teams in baseball that were shut out 8 or 9 times, which put them in the 10th through 16th positions in the league. The Pirates had 6 games where they lost 2 or 3 to nothing. I do not think it is much of a stretch to say that if the Pirates had scored some runs in those games, they could have won half of them. That would have added 3 wins to their total. Granted, just because you are not shut out does not mean you are going to win the game, but it at least gives you a chance. The Cubs had the number 1 offense in the league, and they were shut out 14 times. Other than that, all the other bottom 10 teams in terms of being shut out had much worse offenses than the Pirates. Of the teams that were tied or worse than the Pirates, the highest-ranked offense was the Mets at 19th in the league. We are speculating on the possible extra wins here; we could be off in either direction. The next stat we do not have to speculate on to know that this alone cost the Pirates a spot in the postseason.
In games where the Pirates scored 7 runs or more, they unfortunately lost 10 of those contests, highlighting a troubling trend in their performance. The only team worse in the league than the Pirates was the lowly Colorado Rockies, who suffered a staggering 12 losses under similar circumstances. Overall, the Rockies ended up losing 104 games during the season, underscoring their struggles. In striking contrast, two teams, the Mets and the Red Sox, showcased remarkable consistency, failing to lose a single game throughout the year whenever they managed to score 7 runs. Additionally, there were 4 teams that only lost one game in these high-scoring scenarios, while another 4 teams faced defeat just twice. Remarkably, a total of 18 teams only lost 4 games when scoring 7 runs or more, yet it’s worth noting that half of these teams did not secure a spot in the playoffs. If the Pirates had merely performed at or slightly above league average, it’s entirely possible they could have added an extra 10 to 12 wins to their season total. Such an improvement would have effectively catapulted them into playoff contention. The reality is, the Pirates essentially gave away far too many games throughout the season. This sense of disappointment and unfulfilled potential will inevitably make this winter seem even longer as the team evaluates their performance and prepares for the challenges ahead.
Speaking of the playoffs they are about ready to move into the division series. The White Sox, Yankees and Padres have won the Wild Card series 2-0 to advance. The Braves and Phillies play an elimination game tonight. The visiting teams have a chance to go 2-2. Stay tuned.
