Pirates vs. Cubs Takeaways: Pittsburgh Bullpen Can Be Dominant
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CHICAGO — The Pittsburgh Pirates' bullpen has been inconsistent this year, and this series against the Chicago Cubs showed both its best and its worst.
The Pirates lost their series to the Cubs at Wrigley Field, 12-2 in the series opener on Sept. 11, 4-3 on Sept. 12 and then won the series finale 4-3 on Sept. 13 to avoid the sweep.
Pittsburgh is now 75-75 overall, but 6.5 games back in the National League Wild Card race with just 12 games remaining.
The Pirates had a successful road trip, going 4-2 by sweeping the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field, Sept. 8-10, but they need to fix some bullpen issues.
Second Bullpen Game Goes Awry for Pirates
The Pirates lost starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft to injury and needed another bullpen game to fill his absence.
This second bullpen game didn't work for the Pirates, as three right-handed rookie pitchers, Wilber Dotel, Khristian Curtis and Antwone Kelly, combined for 12 earned runs over eight innings in the series opener.
Dotel allowed three runs over two innings in his first MLB start, Curtis allowed six runs and a two-run home run over three innings and Kelly gave up two runs over three innings.
It was a tough spot for the three rookies, who have all put up great outings this season, but struggled massively against a strong Cubs lineup.
The Pirates already have a bullpen game, with Mitch Keller suffering a season-ending injury in early August, and now have two in their rotation, with Bubba Chandler, Jared Jones and Paul Skenes the only healthy starting pitchers.
Pittsburgh has 12 games remaining, and it looks like they'll have to rely on these rookie pitchers to take on longer outings and that bullpen day now.
The rookie trio can bounce back and show promise for 2027, or it can expose the Pirates' need for another starting pitcher next season.
Don Kelly Lacks Conviction When it Matters Most
The Pirates had a big chance to win the second game of the series, leading 3-2 in the eighth inning and just needing a solid showing from their improved bullpen.
Pirates manager Don Kelly brought in left-handed pitcher Gregory Soto to finish off that eighth inning, especially with Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstong, a left-handed batter, set to hit.
Soto gave up a leadoff double, but got a fly out and then struck out Crow-Armstrong, and looked ready to get the Pirates to the ninth inning.
He instead lost his command, hitting two batters and walking two other batters, bringing two runs in with the bases loaded and giving the Cubs a 4-3 lead.
Kelly had right-handed pitcher Yohan Ramírez warming up in the bullpen, but never brought out another pitcher and left Soto in the game to spiral.
The Pirates bolstered their bullpen at the trade deadline and have a strong setup man in right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver, who could've relieved Soto, and Kelly said, in "hindsight," he should've had him ready to come in.
Kelly has done a decent job with in-game decisions and received unnecessary criticism at times, but this was his worst blunder of the season, especially with the playoff implications.
It should serve as a learning moment for Kelly, who must go with his gut instinct sometimes and make the changes when necessary.
Pirates Bullpen Can Be Dominant
Kelly made up for his mistake and turned to the bullpen when things started getting difficult for Chandler in the series finale.
Chandler loaded the bases with one in the bottom of the sixth inning, and Kelly brought on right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski in his place.
Mlodzinski got the job done, a groundout, an intentional walk, then a flyout to keep the damage to just one run and the Pirates up 4-3.
He then threw a scoreless seventh inning, and right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver followed with a scoreless eighth inning and left-handed pitcher Mason Montgomery closed it out with another save.
Kelly made the right decision in this game, using three of his best pitchers and getting a big win over a strong Cubs team.
The Pirates have these pitchers that Kelly can rely on, as long as the coaching staff manages them through the bullpen games.
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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.