Notes: Bucs In Tailspin, Drop Seven Straight As Pen Flounders

Woof woof...dog days are here

Monday was an off day, then the Bucs and Padres got it on at PNC Park. It rained in the second inning, the outfield track didn't drain...heck of a way to start a 22-games-in-23-days stretch that could very well determine the Bucs playoff fate. So the game was delayed until 9:40 and the Pirates lost, 6-0, again playing in the field like a bunch of tee-ballers. The bullpen lost the next two games, unable to protect ninth-innings leads, to drop 9-8 and 7-6 decisions to the Friars and end the homestand 1-5.  

The next night saw them in LA to take on the Dodgers. Can't blame the pen for this one; Mitch Keller was rocked and the Dodgers rolled to a 9-5 win. Didn't get any better behind Paul Skenes; they lost the middle match, 4-1. The Bucs took the finale to 10 innings; David Bednar couldn't hold the lead and a two-out rap gave LA a 6-5 sweep. The Pirates have now lost seven in a row.

Next comes a three-game rematch with the Padres in San Diego. 

Moves/Injuries:

• RHP Domingo German was called up on Saturday; he was in a use-or-lose spot as the opt-out of his minor league deal was in play. The team is facing a long stretch of games without much break time, so the FO was ISO inning-filling depth. RHP Hunter Stratton was optioned back to Indy and LHP Josh Walker was DFA'ed to open a 40-man spot.
• LHP Colin Holderman was placed on the 15-day IL with a wrist sprain and RHP Ben Heller was recalled from Indy. OF Edward Olivares was DFA'ed to clear a spot for Heller.
• RHP Jared Jones (lat strain) and OF Josh Palacios (hammy) began their rehab assignment this week and 2B Nick Gonzales (groin) is expected to begin his work next week when he passes his running regimen.

Stuff:

• Cutch's homer on Sunday was his 600th extra base hit as a Pirate; he joins a small and select crew of Willie Stargell, Honus Wagner, Paul Waner and Roberto Clemente. He also passed Kiner to move into sixth with 806 Bucco RBIs.

Cutch moves up - 2024 Topps Stadium Club

• Lefty Aroldis Chapman hit 105.1 MPH against Manny Machado in the Bucs loss to the San Diego on Wednesday at PNC Park. Chapman's heater was the fastest of the 2024 season.
• The current Pittsburgh losing streak is the longest of the year since May 7-10, when the club lost three straight games.
• RHP Bubba Chandler gave up two hits, a walk and fanned six over seven scoreless innings Friday night in his first AAA start. More good stuff: C Henry Davis (.302) went 2-for-3, banging his 12th homer with two runs scored and two RBIs. Indy beat Nashville, 6-0.
• RHP Thomas Harrington was named as the Eastern League Pitcher of the Month for July. He slashed 2-0/0.70 with 32 strikeouts in 25-2/3 IP (four starts) for Altoona last month before being promoted to AAA Indy.
• 1st rounder Konnor Griffin was in town and visited the Clemente Museum, among other get-to-know-ya stops. He liked it.
• LHP Jackson Wolf, a WVU alum who was traded to the Pirates in '23 by the Padres and then traded back to the Friars this year was DFA'ed by SD after slashing 3-9/7.21 in AAA.
• LHP Rich Hill threw for interested clubs on Friday. He started last year with the Bucs, was traded to San Diego and became a free agent at the end of the year. Hill's not coming off an injury; he took the first half of the year off and is testing his stretch run options.