JT v Luis Castillo, Lineup & Notes, Injury Update & Playoff Format

Game: First pitch is set for 6:40. The game will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan.

Lineup:  Adam Frazier LF, Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B, Colin Moran DH, Josh Bell 1B, Erik Gonzalez SS, Kevin Newman 2B, Gregory Polanco RF, Cole Tucker CF, John Ryan Tucker C and JT Brubaker P. We'll bet even Shelty doesn't have a clue why he makes lineups the way he does.

And jumping back into CF - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

Pitchers: RHP JT Brubaker (1-1, 5.34) closes the series against RHP Luis Castillo (2-5, 3.44). Bru hasn't quite put it together yet, but his peripherals are OK for a first-year guy. His FIP is 4.19 while fanning better than a man per inning, so he's right in the race for a 2021 back-end rotation spot. But he has to avoid outings like his last one, when the CWS scored seven times in 5-1/3 IP with a pair of big blasts, if he wants to impress. And he'll have a chance to tonight as the Pirates look for a stopper. Castillo's been strong in his two September starts, starting with a 7-2 win over the Bucs. He went six innings, giving up two runs on seven hits with eight punchouts. He followed that with a two-hit, complete game win over the Cards, so he's back in the groove.

Notes:

• J-Bell has a nine-game hitting streak going into this contest.
• Today's injury report from Todd Tomcyzk: Mitch Keller reports no ill effects after his outing. Kyle Crick's lat injury is an old one that he aggravated. Tyler Bashlor wanted to pitch through a tight back but the medicos decided it was better to sit him awhile to let it calm down, so it doesn't seem major. 
• The Pirates have lost seven straight, equaling the longest of the season. Five of the losses have been by three runs or more.
• MLB announced the playoff format: 16 teams, with no scheduled off/travel days until the World Series and played in designated stadiums rather than home fields after the first wildcard round. There's a sense that this 16-team playoff will serve as a trail balloon for future post-seasons. It makes sense for a short season, but over a full year...stay tuned.