Series Preview: Pirates Ride Wave of Momentum into San Diego
In this story:
The Pittsburgh Pirates (21-36) are headed to the West Coast to take on the San Diego Padres (31-23) in a three-game weekend series. Pittsburgh has won six of their last ten games, and will be riding a wave of momentum to Petco Park after a series win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Notably, the Pirates are finally scoring enough runs to win games. In the last seven days, the Buccos are tied for sixth in Major League Baseball in runs scored. In that same time frame, they also rank fifth in batting average, ninth in on-base-percentage, and sixth in slugging percentage.
After being shutout in Monday night's opener at Chase Field, the Pirates responded in big way. They won Tuesday's game 9-6 off the strength of a timely-hitting offense that was finally able to drive in runners in scoring position - a bugaboo for the Pirates this season. At one point, the Pirates trailed 6-0 in the seventh inning. They stormed back in the seventh and eighth innings, jumping all over the Arizona bullpen.
Bryan Reynolds had his best performance for the Pirates this season in their comeback win over the Diamondbackshttps://t.co/2C6fgyultq
— Pirates On SI (@PiratesOnSI) May 28, 2025
Then on Wednesday, they closed out the series with an emphatic 10-0 victory over Arizona. With 2023's number one overall pick, Paul Skenes, dominating on the mound all afternoon, it was a glimpse of what this Pittsburgh team can be at the peak of their powers.
A key contributor to the offensive turnaround the past week has been another number one overall pick. Catcher Henry Davis, drafted first in the 2021 MLB draft, seems to be finding his footing as a Major League hitter. Defense and calling games has been Davis' calling card in the majors, but he has shown signs of breaking out at the plate.
Henry Davis’ last 2 games:
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) May 28, 2025
4-for-6
3 RBI
Home run
Could the former first overall pick finally be heating up? pic.twitter.com/7AcQrRm8Re
Over the last six games in 20 at-bats, Davis has hit for a .400 batting average and a .478 on-base-percentage. He's also hit a home run and drove in five runners. He had back-to-back multiple hit games to end the D-backs series.
His potential breakout is comign at the perfect time, as catcher Joey Bart recently hit the injured list. Davis is hoping to grab the starting catching position during Bart's absence and never let go. He would be a welcomed addition to the every day lineup, especially for Pirates fans that have been patiently waiting to see Davis become a consistent contributor since he became Pittsburgh's top pick in 2021.
The Pirates will look to keep their offensive momentum going at Chase Field, a ballpark notorious for prodigious home runs and high-scoring affairs.
San Diego has been tasked with playing in baseball's toughest division, the NL West, but they are still locked in to a Wild Card spot as of now.
The Padres' season statistics reveal a mixed bag. Offensively, the team ranks 21st in home runs (HR) with 52 and 17th in runs scored (R) with 233, indicating middling power and run production. Their strikeout (SO) total of 469 places them 13th, suggesting an average tendency to whiff at the plate.
On the pitching side, the Padres have been stronger, posting a 3.61 ERA, which ranks 10th in the league. This solid pitching performance has helped offset some of their offensive shortcomings, keeping them competitive. Overall, the team has been leaning more on its pitching staff to stay in games. This is not a surprise for a team that plays at Petco Park, a notoriously pitcher-friendly ballpark.
Key Stats
- Pirates' hot bats: Has scored 9 and 10 runs in past two games
- Padres' pitchers: .227 batting average against is tied for fifth best in MLB
- The Pirates and Padres have met a total of 517 times. The Pirates lead the series 274-243.
Probable Pitchers & Matchups
Game 1: Friday, 9:40 PM ET at Petco Park
- PIT: RHP Mitch Keller (1-6, 3.66 ERA, 55 K)
- SD: RHP Nick Pivetta (5-2, 2.72 ERA, 63 K)
- Key Battle: Pivetta vs Pirates OF Bryan Reynolds (1 HR, 1 RBI in six career AB against Pivetta)
Game 2: Saturday, 9:40 PM ET at Petco Park
- PIT: LHP Bailey Falter (3-3, 3.47 ERA, 40 K)
- SD: RHP Dylan Cease (1-3, 4.58 ERA, 72 K)
- Key Battle: Falter vs Padres 3B Manny Machado (Hit home run in first matchup against Falter on May 3, 2025)
Game 3: Sunday, 5:10 PM ET at Petco Park
- PIT: LHP Andrew Heaney (3-4, 3.41 ERA, 44 K)
- SD: RHP Randy Vasquez (3-4, 3.58 ERA, 32 K)
- Key Battle: Heaney vs Padres SS Xander Bogaerts (.556 AVG, 1.635 OPS, 2 HR, 7 RBI in 18 career at-bats against Heaney)
Players to Watch
- SP Bailey Falter: 5.09 ERA, .299 BAA in five road starts this season
- OF Oneil Cruz (PIT): Four home runs in last seven games
- 3B Manny Machado (SD): .300 AVG, 2 HR, 2 2B in last seven days
- SP Dylan Cease (SD): 3.38 ERA in May after a 5.68 ERA in April
Ethan Merrill is from Grand Rapids, MI, and brings with him a diverse background of experiences. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, he worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons before settling in the Pittsburgh area in 2020. With a passion for sports and a growing connection to his community, Ethan brings a fresh perspective to covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.