Pirates vs. Giants Takeaways: Khristian Curtis Deserves More Time
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have struggled on offense since the All-Star break, but they figured out how effective they can be at the plate.
The Pirates took the series against the San Francisco Giants, winning two out of the three games 13-12 in the series opener on Sept. 1 and 5-2 in the series finale on Sept. 3, after losing 5-4 in extra innings on Sept. 2.
It marks the first time they've won three straight series in 2026, winning two out of three games against both the San Diego Padres at Petco Park, Aug. 24-26, and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, Aug. 28-30.
The Pirates improved to 69-72 on the season, but are still five games back in the National League Wild Card race.
Pirates Offense Slowly Figuring Things Out
The Pirates were poor on their latest road trip with runners in scoring position, especially against the Padres, Aug. 24-26, going 2-for-30 over the series.
Pittsburgh didn't have the best showing in this series, 11-for-41, but the series opener was one of their better offensive performances in the second half of 2026.
The Pirates went 8-for-20 with RISP, but the third inning was when it all came together, as they scored nine runs, turning a 5-2 deficit into an 11-2 lead.
Pittsburgh also had nine singles in the inning, tying the record for the most runs in an inning without an extra-base hit in the past 20 years.
The Pirates then found other ways to score in the next two games: two walks and a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded, two groundouts for a run, a sacrifice fly, a sacrifice bunt, and an infield single.
Scoring in different ways has been a big reason the Pirates have had success on offense this season and were one of the best at the All-Star break.
The Pirates were also inches away from a sweep, as Jacob Gonzalez almost hit a walk-off home run in the ninth inning, that hit off the top of the right-center field wall in the second game, which Bryan Reynolds did the same back in the eighth inning.
If Pittsburgh is going to make a late run at the postseason, they have to find different ways to score in every game and do so efficiently.
Carmen Mlodzinski Settles Back into Bullpen Role
The Pirates have tried to get the most out of right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski this season and they may have him in the best spot now.
Mlodzinski was fantastic for the Pirates against the Giants, throwing three perfect innings from the seventh to the ninth innings in the second game of the series.
He pitched efficiently, throwing just 30 pitches, and finished with two strikeouts, allowing the Pirates to come back and send the game into extra innings, which they eventually lost.
This outing came after he threw 3.1 innings against the Cardinals on Aug. 30, getting out of a bases-loaded jam and allowing one run after three straight errors from the Pirates' defense.
Mlodzinski thought he could've gone four innings, and with the way he was pitching, the Pirates may have won the game if he stayed in.
These outings are hugely important for Mlodzinski and the Pirates, who believe in his talent coming out of the bullpen.
Mlodzinski struggled in August as a starting pitcher, with a 14.04 ERA over three starts, but has been much better in his past three bullpen outings, with a 2.89 ERA.
It's been a wild season for Mlodzinski, but it looks like he's finally settling into a role that suits him best.
Khristian Curtis Shows He's Ready for More MLB Action
Most rookies take time to adjust to the major leagues: tougher competition than the minor leagues and a much more important stage in their careers.
Pirates right-handed pitcher Khristian Curtis is showing that he's fine throwing against MLB hitters, as he was impressive again vs. the Giants in the series finale.
Curtis threw three scoreless innings, before struggling in the seventh inning, with two runs scoring off of two walks and an RBI double, but earned his first MLB win.
The Pirates rookie issued a walk for his only baserunner through the first three innings and handled the Giants' lineup before that seventh inning.
He managed to have this outing, despite getting called up the night before from Triple-A Indianapolis, and dealing with little sleep.
Curtis became one of four Pirates pitchers to throw 11 scoreless innings to start his career in the expansion era. (Since 1961).
The Pirates should consider keeping him on the roster and using him in that bulk role, as he looks primed for success early on.
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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.