Tim Benz: Don’t let win total fool you, the Pirates regressed in so many ways
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“You either get better or you get worse. You never stay the same.”
If ever there was a sports team that personified that inspirational thought-for-a-day calendar entry, it was the 2024 Pittsburgh Pirates.
In the strictest of terms, this year’s Pirates club stayed the same as last year. They were 76-86 in 2024, just as they were in 2023.
But last year’s 76-win total marked an improvement of 14 victories. This year’s 76 wins represented stagnation.
In reality, though, “stagnation” is being kind. Anyone who watched this year’s bumbling Buccos knows that this team regressed.
In the National League Central standings, they quite literally got worse. The 2023 edition was a fourth-place team. This year’s club occupied the basement in fifth place.
Keep in mind that 10 of those 76 wins happened before April 13. They were 66-82 after that. Manager Derek Shelton’s team was particularly bad down the stretch, going 21-33 in August and September (a .389 winning percentage).
That’s after the team tried to improve itself by acquiring Isiah Kiner-Falefa (Toronto), Bryan De La Cruz (Miami) and prospect Nick Yorke (Boston). While Yorke impressed during 40 games at Triple-A and a brief stint in Pittsburgh, Kiner-Falefa hit just .240 with an OPS of only .587. De LaCruz hit .200 with an OPS of .514 and 52 strikeouts in 168 plate appearances. They are all under team control.
The 2024 team-wide OPS (.672), batting average (.234) and run total (665) all dipped from last year. All of those results ranked 13th or worse in the 15-team National League. The strikeout total of 1,506 (second-most in the NL) jumped up by 42 from last year.
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The team’s ERA of 4.15 was better than last year’s 4.60, but still 11th in the NL as it was a year ago. Despite the arrivals of Jared Jones and Paul Skenes, the staff ended up with 1,356 strikeouts, seven fewer than last year.
The bullpen ERA of 4.49 was 27th in Major League Baseball this season versus 4.27 (19th) last year. The bullpen’s 29 blown saves were tied for third-most in Major League Baseball this season. They only had 21 in ‘23.
While the Pirates’ error total (91) and fielding percentage (.984) were identical to last year, the club was forced to move cornerstone shortstop Oneil Cruz to center field, can’t find a place for Henry Davis to play, still hasn’t found a natural first baseman, and is considering moving Bryan Reynolds out of left field.
Individually, Davis and Ke’Bryan Hayes spent most of the year declining, injured or both. David Bednar ended up with a 5.77 ERA and seven blown saves. Colin Holderman’s second-half stat line was 0-5 with a 6.32 ERA.
In September, Cruz hit .161, and Andrew McCutchen was at .194. They combined for 44 strikeouts.
Aside from Skenes, even the promising starting rotation wobbled as the season went along. In the second half of the year, Mitch Keller went 1-7 with an ERA of 5.65 after the All-Star break. In six appearances after returning from his injury Jared Jones was 1-2 with an ERA of 5.87. On June 14, Luis Ortiz was 3-2 with an ERA of 2.51. Over his last 11 trips to the mound, he was 2-4 with a 4.21 ERA.
Stagnation? As ugly as that word sounds, it’d be a kind way to describe this team this year. The Pirates regressed even if the Major League club’s record suggests that it has maintained the status quo.
But if the financial bottom line gets better, I’m sure it’ll be considered a banner year at PNC Park.
So keep buying those No. 30 Skenes jerseys while you can over the next few years. It’ll make everybody on Federal Street happy and make for a great stocking stuffer under the Christmas tree.
Meanwhile, we’ll wait with bated breath to see if the franchise can threaten the magical 82-win plateau in 2025.
Dream big, Pittsburgh. Dream big.