Reds vs Pirates: Preview, pitching matchups and prediction

The Reds foe is in a complete tailspin

Someone might want to tell the Pittsburgh Pirates (3-13) the 2020 season has in fact begun. The Pirates have dropped 10 of their last 11 games, many times in painful fashion. Pittsburgh has lost two games of the walk-off variety and have dropped all three of their extra-inning contests  Needless to say they’ve provided plenty of sleepless nights already for rookie manager Derek Shelton.

Where exactly have things gone off the rails for the Pirates? Pretty much everywhere. Entering play Wednesday night, the Pirates are the second-worst hitting team in the National League with feeble .209 average. Don’t laugh Reds County because the Reds are the only NL club trailing them at .208.

Not only are the Pirates not hitting for average, but they struggle to reach base in any fashion. Their .273 on-base percentage is the worst in baseball and their .328 slugging rate is the second-worst in the game. To call the Pirates a weak-hitting club would be a compliment.

Unfortunately, the Buccos have found little solace on the pitching mound. Their team ERA of 5.32 is third from the bottom in the senior circuit. Much of their problem is the inability of Pirates hurlers to find the strike zone.

Issuing an NL worst 77 free passes, their 1.483 WHIP also occupies the league cellar by a wide margin. Whether it’s the rotation or the bullpen, the Pirates can’t keep runners off the base paths. Starters currently own a poor 1.324 WHIP while the bullpen has produced an absolutely horrid 1.626 mark.

Reds manager David Bell might want to stack his lineup this weekend with right-handed bats. Pirate pitching has allowed righties to slash a staggering .280/.381/.482 with 14 homers and 18 doubles in 16 games. Hopefully, this will be an excellent opportunity to get Phillip Ervin’s bat going in the right direction.