PITTSBURGH — Supervisor Derek Shelton has spoken many instances this season about how the Pirates want to search out consistency on offense. The phrase “consistency” has some ambiguity, typically being a shorthand for both being extra aggressive within the field or getting out of a droop or simply flat-out hitting higher.
As a result of once you have a look at the Pirates’ offensive outcomes, their best drawback is the zeros have been too constant.
Sunday marked the sixth time they have been shut out this season, essentially the most within the Majors, and this time leading to a 4-0 loss to the Padres. It was the third time the Pirates have been swept this season, and their homestand was bookended by shutout losses.
The search is for consistency on the dish. How that’s achieved is unknown.
“I do not know. That is one thing I am in all probability gonna suppose loads about tonight and have been considering loads about, however there must be some kind of consistency,” Shelton mentioned. “This lineup’s higher than this.”
The lineup in all probability has extra potential, and being with out Nick Gonzales, Spencer Horwitz and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (the staff chief in batting common) actually doesn’t assist. However now at 12-23 — Pittsburgh’s worst begin for a 162-game season since 2006 — there must be enchancment and shortly.
By means of 35 video games, the Pirates rank twenty eighth in runs scored (114), tied for twenty eighth in house runs (25) and twenty eighth in OPS (.641). Is there one other gear for this group?
“I certain hope so,” Bryan Reynolds mentioned. “I can hit higher than I’m, so there’s one. We clearly can. We’re simply not.”
Sunday’s struggles began with Stephen Kolek, making his first profession begin for the Padres. An proprietor of a 5.21 ERA in his younger Main League profession (42 video games), he pitched into the sixth inning, working round 4 hits and two walks. The Pirates had 10 runners attain base, however none of them crossed house.
A few of that was self-inflicted. Matt Gorski tripled within the seventh inning, however he was thrown out at house after making a poor determination to interrupt for house on a floor ball to Padres third baseman Manny Machado. Shelton and the rookie had a dialog about him breaking for the plate and attempting to power a rushed throw from the Platinum Glove Award winner.
Ke’Bryan Hayes was picked off second base within the second inning after showing to place himself to steal third. Kolek held on to the ball longer, and Hayes paid the value for an errant first transfer. Hayes later grounded right into a double play within the fourth inning (the thirty fifth time that’s occurred for the Pirates this 12 months, essentially the most within the Majors), erasing a possible rally.
It’s a wrestle that’s turn out to be all too acquainted. Shelton mentioned the Pirates have checked out their prep work for video games to attempt to generate one thing, however up to now, it hasn’t.
“We’re mixing issues up, attempting various things,” Shelton mentioned. “Proper now we do not have a method, and we have got to determine it out.”
Sunday’s issues prolonged past the offense. Andrew Heaney had been the staff’s greatest performing pitcher up till this homestand, however he took his second loss after permitting 4 runs over 3 2/3 frames. Shortstop Jared Triolo made a throwing error and had a troublesome time grabbing a maintain of a Luis Arraez floor ball, turning what would usually be a bounce out into an infield single.
There are a mess of points that bought the Pirates thus far. It’s going to must be on them to rectify it.
“No one feels sorry for you,” Heaney mentioned. “That’s your job, you gotta maintain going. You gotta do the issues that you understand make you profitable. You gotta are available with the identical routine, identical perspective and simply maintain forging on.”
