Pirates put momentum to the test against defending N.L. West champion Dodgers
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There is no denying the hot start of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023. At 16-7, the Pirates lead the National League Central Division. Thus far, the previously forlorn Buccos:
• Have a seven-game win streak
• Lead Major League Baseball with 14 quality starts
• Lead the National League in stolen bases with 25
• Are tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for the Major League lead in triples with seven
• Have a Major League-best 12 saves in 14 opportunities
• Are tied for fourth among MLB pitching staffs when it comes to innings pitched by starters (128)
The only thing that hasn’t been very strong for the Pirates has been the schedule. The Pirates’ six opponents (including the 8-15 Cincinnati Reds twice) are a collective 30 games under .500. The only team the Pirates have faced thus far who is above .500 are the 12-11 Houston Astros.
Starting tonight, the Pirates should get an increased test in competition from the Los Angeles Dodgers. L.A. comes to PNC Park for a three-game series that begins with a pitching matchup between Noah Syndergaard of the Dodgers and Johan Oviedo of the Pirates.
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Syndergaard has struggled so far this season at 0-3 with a 4.91 earned run average. Meanwhile Oviedo is 2-1 with a 2.22 ERA. He has allowed just two runs in his last 19⅔ innings and has racked up three straight quality starts.
Like the Astros, the Dodgers are a defending division-winner who has started their title defense decently, but not great. At 12-11, they are a half-game behind the surprising Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West.
L.A. may be starting to heat up, though. The club just won three of four games in Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs. The loss was a 13-0 blowout. But the Dodgers scored 22 runs over the three wins.
The Pirates are catching a break in the sense that Clayton Kershaw isn’t scheduled to pitch during this series for Los Angeles. He just posted a victory in the Sunday game against the Cubs.
Also, Max Muncy is going to the paternity list, according to Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times. Muncy leads all of baseball with 11 home runs.
Michael Busch will join the Dodgers in Pittsburgh, per sources, to replace Max Muncy, who is going on the paternity list.
Busch batted .337 with a .967 OPS in 21 games for OKC this season.
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) April 24, 2023
Relief picther Brusdar Graterol is also on the paternity list, and the organization is hoping to get Evan Phillips back from it on Tuesday.
As a team, L.A. has 43 homers, the most in the National League. They are also tops in the NL in slugging percentage (.460) and tied for first in runs (121) with the Cubs. That said, the Dodgers do strike out a lot — 220 times. That’s fifth most in the majors. But the pitching and defense don’t give away a lot of free bases. Los Angeles pitchers have yielded just 55 walks, second fewest in MLB. And the defense has committed only nine errors, just eight teams have fewer.
To the surprise of many, the Pirates beat Los Angeles five times in six tries a year ago. The 2022 Pirates won just 62 games. The Dodgers won 111 last year. According to Spotrac, the Dodgers’ 2022 payroll was a Major League-high $270 million. The Pirates spent just over $56 million, the third lowest in baseball.
The Pirates have increased spending to $75.9 million this year (27th in MLB). Meanwhile, the Dodgers have “trimmed” to a piddly $227.4 million (fifth most in MLB).
After this series, the Pirates head to Washington. The Nationals are 7-14, last place in the National League East. Then they visit Tampa Bay. The Rays are a whopping 20-3, the best record in baseball.