Pirates Can't Wait to Bolster Bullpen
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PITTSBURGH — The weakest part of the Pittsburgh Pirates roster is their bullpen and it's one that can make or break their postseason hopes.
The Pirates bullpen struggled again in a 12-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the series opener at PNC Park on June 9, giving up 10 runs in the seventh inning after it was a tie game, 2-2.
Rookie right-handed pitchers in Wilber Dotel and Brandan Bidois combined for the 10 runs given up and it took right-handed pitcher Dennis Santana to get the final out, in a half inning that saw the Dodgers have 15 at-bats and take almost 40 minutes.
It was another example of a poor outing for the Pirates bullpen and one that the front office can't allow to continue much longer.
Internal Moves Not The Ultimate Solution
When discussing the Pirates making a bullpen move, they've already made a number of them, but internally.
The Pirates brought up Dotel from Triple-A Indianapolis in a bulk role and took right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski out of the starting rotation to perform a similar position.
Pittsburgh also designated right-handed pitcher Justin Lawrence for assignment on May 29, then traded him to the Minnesota Twins on June 1, and optioned right-handed pitcher Isaac Mattson to Indianapolis back on May 20.
The Pirates had both rookie left-handed pitcher Hunter Barco and veteran free agent signing right-handed pitcher José Urquidy on the Opening Day roster, but sent both down to stretch out as starting pitchers.
Pittsburgh also brought up rookie left-handed pitcher Evan Sisk and added southpaws in Gregory Soto via free agency and Mason Montgomery via trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Even with all of these moves, the Pirates bullpen simply just hasn't done a good enough job of shutting down opposing hitting late on in games, making any lead they have feel unsafe.
Why the Pirates Must Make An External Move
So there's already been a number of moves internally, plus the two external moves this offseason, but why do the Pirates need to make an external move and do so sooner rather than later?
Pittsburgh has blown 14 saves in 27 opportunities, which is third-most in baseball this season, with only the Detroit Tigers (16 blown saves) and Washington Nationals (17 blown saves), having more than them.
The Pirates are also in the midst of a four-game losing streak, tied for their longest on the season, and have lost five of their past six games, dropping to 34-33.
Pittsburgh hasn't gotten the performances they expected from the likes of Lawrence (5.23 ERA), Mattson (4.12 ERA), nor Santana (5.00 ERA), which created a problem this season that they didn't have previously, lacking an established high-leverage right-hander.
The Pirates have seen Dotel, Bidois and Sisk put up good and even great outings, but relying on them for elite stuff every time early in their major league career isn't sustainable, with the two Dotel and Bidois showing that vs. the Dodgers.
Sisk, himself, gave up a bases-loaded triple vs. the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 7 on his first batter he faced, giving the home team a 3-2 lead, one that saw the Pirates suffer a sweep.
Even Montgomery and Soto have struggled at times, particularly with them giving up three runs each and six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning vs. the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on June 3, five of which came with two outs, in an 11-9 loss, after leading 9-5.
Mlodzinski will likely serve as their most reliable reliever, but like Dotel, it's likely he's deployed in bulk roles, so that limits him to one or two appearances a week.
If the Pirates want to keep the goal of the playoffs going, it's time to start moving with intention.
That might mean parting with some of their best prospects, but with the offense they have and the starting rotation, it would be a waste not to take advantage of the situation they see themselves in.
If the Pirates can land a top relief pitcher, particularly one they can rely on in high-leverage situations, that can be the difference between making the postseason and not doing so.
Pittsburgh will want to wait until close to the trade deadline, especially with teams not willing to trade their best relievers, but with the offense they have this season and a strong starting rotation, they can't wait to start improving their roster in a competitive National League.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.