Pirates Catcher is Most Important Player Against Dodgers
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have hit a bump in the road after being swept by the Atlanta Braves in a three-game set. The series loss was a painful reminder that while the Pirates have improved greatly, there are still ways to go for this burgeoning team.
Things won’t get any easier for the Pirates as they go from the MLB-leading Braves to the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Buccos return to Pittsburgh for a three-game battle against the Dodgers, and another sweep would plummet the team below .500 at an inopportune time.
Which means the Pirates have to find a way to win the series. A sweep would be a dream come true, but two out of three would get the Battling Buccos back on track. To make that happen, the Pirates are going to need to conquer two left-handed starting pitchers. That means a right-handed bat has to come through, meaning Henry Davis is the most important Pirates player in this upcoming series.
Signs of Life At the Plate
Davis has battled through another up-and-down campaign in 2026. In 44 games, he’s knocked five balls out of the park and batted 17 runs in.
His best moment offensively came in a recent matchup against the Houston Astros. With the bases loaded and the Pirates down 2-0, Davis blasted a fastball over the fence for his first career grand slam. The swing was compact and explosive, and he absolutely crushed the ball upon impact. It was a swing worthy of that number one overall pick honor he holds.
Opportunity Against Lefties
Consistency remains his big problem at the plate. When he’s not belting home runs, he’s usually striking out or making weak contact. He’s posted a .140 batting average so far this year, and it doesn't improve drastically whether it's right or left-handed pitchers on the mound.
The Dodgers are expected to start lefties Eric Lauer and Justin Wrobleski to begin and end the series, With Joey Bart still making his way back from an infection in his foot and left-handed swinging Endy Rodriguez going 3-for-16 over his last six games, Davis is in line to get several starts against Los Angeles.
If he can take advantage, the Pirates will be in a great position. They will have a right-handed batter giving the team a boost, taking some pressure off of the slew of lefty sluggers that have carried the lineup so far. Even more important for the PIrates, he can help the team get back on track against one of the best franchises in the MLB.
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Jacob is a featured writer covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for Steelers On SI and the NHL for Breakaway On SI. He also co-hosts the All Steelers Talk podcast. Previous work covering the NHL for Inside the Penguins and The Hockey News.