Series Preview: Pirates Travel West for Desert Duel
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The Pittsburgh Pirates (19-35) will head west to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks (26-27) at Chase Field after splitting a weekend series with the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Buccos are coming out of a series where they finally showed some promise at the plate. They scored five runs or more in three of the four games. This comes after tying a MLB record for the longest streak of games without scoring more than four runs; it had been since April 22 before the Pirates' 8-5 loss on Thursday.
It seems as if the Pirates were able to loosen up in the batter's box without that record looming over their heads. This was especially the case for perhaps the most important player to the Pittsburgh offense.
Leadoff hitter Oneil Cruz broke out of a prolonged slump in a big way this weekend.
In Thursday's series opener, Cruz smacked a two-out, RBI double. He was just getting started.
On Friday, Cruz opened up the scoring in the third inning with a 442-foot solo shot over the center field wall. Then, in the bottom of the ninth inning with the Pirates down 3-4, Cruz drilled another home run to tie the game. The clutch blast was his tenth home run of the season. The Pirates would go on to win the game in extras, with Cruz the catalyst for the comeback.
Cruz made his impact felt on and off the field during Saturday's game.
Cruz’s RBI triple in the seventh inning proved to be the difference-maker in the Pirates’ 2-1 victory over the Brewers. While most players might keep a bat that’s delivering hits, Cruz had a promise to uphold — one he made to a young fan in the stands.
"We made a deal that if he got a hit, he would give me his bat, and he got a triple, and he came out with it next inning," 10-year-old John Block told SportsNet Pittsburgh reporter Hannah Mears.
Oneil Cruz not only delivered the winning run vs. the Brewers, but kept his promise to a young Pirates fanhttps://t.co/bfpur0mCQN
— Pirates On SI (@PiratesOnSI) May 25, 2025
Cruz embraced the agreement, seeing it as motivation. "I took it like a challenge from the kid, and I couldn't let him down," he said through interpreter and coach Stephen Morales.
Cruz's performance on Sunday put an exclamation point — and a new MLB record — on his weekend.
The 6-foot-7 centerfielder saw a 92 mph four-seam fastball down the middle of the plate and crushed it. The ball came off the bat at 122.9 mph and went 432 feet over the right field wall, into the Allegheny River for another solo home run.
Oneil Cruz just hit this ball 122.9 mph.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 25, 2025
That is the hardest hit ball in the Statcast era. pic.twitter.com/dZYilTHie1
That 122.9 mph ranks as the hardest hit ball in the Statcast era, since 2015. It also breaks his previous record, which was 122.4 mph that he hit off of a slider from Atlanta Braves starting right-handed pitcher Kyle Wright on Aug. 24, 2022.
The Pirates will look to keep their offensive momentum going at Chase Field, a ballpark notorious for prodigious home runs and high-scoring affairs.
Arizona will be looking to halt a five-game losing streak. They have one of the best offenses in baseball, as they rank fifth in runs scored, fourth in OPS, and fifth in OBP. Their strong lineup is led by five-tool sensation Corbin Carroll (.265/.337/.566, 15 HR, 6 3B 9 SB), versatile Ketel Marte (.275/.383/.569, 8 HR) and slugging third baseman Eugenio Suarez (14 HR, 40 RBI).
The pitching is what is keeping the Diamondbacks from the top of the National League West standings. Their team ERA of 4.67 ranks 24th in MLB. The bullpen has been particularly unstable, with a 5.24 ERA that ranks second to last in MLB.
Key Stats
- Pirates' bats warming up: 5 or more runs in three of last four games
- D-backs bullpen struggles: 5.24 ERA ranks 29th in MLB.
- The Pirates and Diamondbacks have met a total of 175 times. The Diamondbacks lead the series 102-73.
Probable Pitchers & Matchups
Game 1: Monday, 8:10 PM ET at Chase Field
- PIT: LHP Andrew Heaney (3-3, 2.91 ERA, 42 K)
- AZ: RHP Ryne Nelson (1-1, 4.60 ERA, 30 K)
- Key Battle: Heaney vs D-backs 2B Ketel Marte (2 HR, 3 RBI in six career AB against Heaney)
Game 2: Tuesday, 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field
- PIT: RHP Mike Burrows (0-1, 7.20 ERA, 3 K in 1 GS)
- AZ: RHP Corbin Burnes (3-2, 2.73 ERA, 51 K)
- Key Battle: Burnes vs Pirates OF Oneil Cruz (2 HR in seven career AB against Burnes)
Game 3: Wednesday, 3:40 PM ET at Chase Field
- PIT: RHP Paul Skenes (3-5, 2.36 ERA, 70 K)
- AZ: RHP Zac Gallen (3-6, 5.25 ERA, 63 K)
- Key Battle: Gallen vs Pirates OF Bryan Reynolds (1-for-10 in 10 career AB against Gallen)
Players to Watch
- SP Paul Skenes (PIT): 38.2 IP, 43 K, 1.40 ERA in road starts this season
- OF Oneil Cruz (PIT): XBH in last four games
- 2B Ketel Marte (AZ): .300 AVG, 2 HR, 2 2B in last seven days
- SP Zac Gallen (AZ): Has allowed four earned runs in more in last three starts
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.