Pirates Face Tough Battle for Wild Card
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates are playing their best baseball of the season, putting them in contention for a National League wild card spot.
The Pirates have won four straight series, as well as eight of their last 10 games and 10 out of their last 13 games They also took two out of three games against the Philadelphia Phillies, holders of the best record in the National League, and their rival in the St. Louis Cardinals in their first two series out of the All-Star break at PNC Park.
Despite their great winning as of recent, they aren't the only team competing for a National League wild spot, with six teams competing for the three places.
NL Wild Card Standings (Team: Record + Games Ahead/Back +Win %)
No. 4 Atlanta Braves: 54-47/+1 game ahead/.535
No. 5 New York Mets: 54-48/+0.5 game ahead/.529
No. 6 San Diego Padres: 55-50/level/.524
No.7 St. Louis Cardinals: 52-48/+0.5 games ahead/.520
No. 8 Arizona Diamondbacks: 53-50/1 game back/.515
No. 9 Pittsburgh Pirates: 52-50/1.5 games back/.510
No. 10 Cincinnati Reds: 49-53/4.5 games back/.480
The Pirates come into the weekend at No. 9 and 1.5 games back out of a wild card spot, keeping them fully in the race, but also warry of any slip-ups that might hurt them along the way.
They travel to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend, who are one game back of the wild card themselves. They will then take on the Houston Astros, who are on top of the American League West Division at 53-49 overall.
Many of the other teams in the NL wild card race have also had a great start following the All-Star break.
The New York Mets have won four in a row, including taking two off their inner-city rival in the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, and moving ahead of the Cardinals into the No. 5.
The San Diego Padres have won five straight games, taking two out of three against AL Central leaders in the Cleveland Guardians and then sweeping the Washington Nationals mid-week, capped off with Dylan Cease pitching a no-hitter.
The Atlanta Braves are the only team who has struggled so far following the All-Star break. They have lost five straight and are 3-7 in their last 10 games. They are currently taking on the Mets at Citi Field and lost the first game on Thursday, and they'll need to win some games or they'll fall out of the wild card race entirely.
If the Pirates can win these series and continue their momentum, they'll have a great shot to stay in the race, but the schedule doesn't get easier going forward.
They will take on the Diamondbacks again and Padres at home, then they'll head back out west to face the NL West leading Los Angeles Dodgers and the Padres again. They return home to face Seattle Mariners, then travel to the reigning World Series Champions in the Texas Rangers.
Two series at home against the Nationals and the Miami Marlins at home in September will serve as the only teams that aren't in postseason contension the rest of the season.
While the schedule ahead is daunting, the Pirates have a great pitching staff that have played an important role in their recent winning ways.
This includes starters in rookies in All-Star Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, Mitch Keller and Bailey Falter, plus bullpen arms in David Bednar, Colin Holderman, Carmen Mlodzinski, Kyle Nicolas and Dennis Santana that all work together to make one of the best pitching staffs in the MLB.
If the Pirates can get some more offense going in the coming series, they have a chance to make a run at their first postseason since 2015.
DOMINIC CAMPBELL