Pirates Stay in NL Wild Card Race After Phillies Series
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PHILADELPHIA — The Pittsburgh Pirates aren't quite where they want to be, but they did show they can be competitive with other playoff-bound teams
The Pirates split a four-game road series with the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, one of their biggest opponents in the National League Wild Card race.
Pittsburgh came back for an 11-7 win in the series opener on June 29 and then coming through later on for a 6-1 victory in the series finale on July 2, while losing the middle games, 8-0 on June 30 and 10-6 on July 1.
It wasn't the best the Pirates could've done in the series, but splitting a series with a team that is likely going to try and win the National League East,
Where Pirates Stand in NL Wild Card Race (July 3)
Team | Record (%) | Wild Card GA/GB |
|---|---|---|
Chicago Cubs | 49-38 (.563) | +2.5 |
Philadelphia Phillies | 49-39 (.557) | +2.0 |
St. Louis Cardinals | 45-39 (.536) | -- |
Miami Marlins | 46-42 (.523) | 1.0 |
Washington Nationals | 45-43 (.511) | 2.0 |
Arizona Diamondbacks | 43-43 (.500) | 3.0 |
San Diego Padres | 43-43 (.500) | 3.0 |
Pittsburgh Pirates | 44-44 (.500) | 3.0 |
The Pirates are currently three games back of the third and last NL Wild Card spot, which NL Central Division rival in the St. Louis Cardinals occupy at 45-39.
Pittsburgh is one of three .500 teams, as they are 44-44, with both NL West teams in the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres at 43-43, putting them three games back as well.
Both NL East teams in the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals are just outside the top three teams, with the Marlins one game back and the Nationals two games back.
The Marlins are at 46-42 after going an MLB-best 20-6 over the month of June, sitting 26-34 at the end of May, while the Nationals won back-to-back games against the Boston Red Sox.
Another of the Pirates rivals sits on top of the NL Wild Card standings, with the Cubs 2.5 games ahead at 49-38 and then the Phillies right behind them at 49-39 and two games ahead of the Cardinals.
The Phillies could realistically take over the Atlanta Braves for the top spot in the NL East, with the Braves losing eight of their last 10 games and the Phillies going 7-3 in that span.
Where Pirates Can Make Up Ground
The Pirates have a big series this weekend against the Nationals at Nationals Park, July 3-5, where they could overtake a team in the NL Wild Card race.
Pittsburgh has a tough schedule ahead, with one final homestand before the All-Star break, taking on the Braves, July 7-9, and then hosting the Milwaukee Brewers, second-best team in the NL at 53-32.
They also take on both the Cleveland Guardians (46-42) and the New York Yankees (48-38), leaders of the American League Central and East Divisions, respectively, on the road, and then face the Cubs and Diamondbacks at home, July 24-29.
August isn't a much easier month for the Pirates, as they travel to face both the Brewers for a four-game series, Aug. 3-6, and the Marlins, Aug. 11-13, while also embarking on a nine-game road trip, Aug. 21-30, against the Los Angeles Dodgers (57-31), Padres and Cardinals.
It's a tough two months upcoming for the Pirates, but these are all good chances to show they can compete with the best in baseball and take some wins off those in closest competition.
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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.