As the all-star break approaches, it is becoming more and more evident that the 2026 Pirates are, at the very least, a competitive team. Despite some issues with the pitching staff this year, the lineup is extremely real, and can carry the team for stretches of time. That team identity showed itself this last weekend, as the Pirates mauled the Nationals out of DC.
Game one on Friday featured Mitch Keller matched up against breakout star Foster Griffin, who returned to the MLB after a few years overseas and has flashed brilliance this year. To put it simple, Keller got outdueled from the get-go in this one. The first three innings featured a plethora of extra base hits, and unfortunately, most of them went the way of the Nationals. Luis Garcia homered in the first and Daylen Lile homered in the second before Bryan Reynolds answered with a solo shot of his own, but James Wood and Jose Tena tripled and homered right after to make the score 4-1 going into the fourth inning. Keller calmed down after that, as he pitched into the seventh inning, but didn’t get any more support. Two Nationals runs in the seventh left Keller with 5 runs allowed, and then Isaac Mattson followed him with a disastrous outing – allowing 4 runs. Ironically, Tyler Callihan pitched yet another scoreless inning, and hasn’t given up a run in his position player pitching mop up duty this year. The Bucs were then able to get some momentum going before the next game in the series, as Jared Triolo, Brandon Lowe, Bryan Reynolds, Esmerlyn Valdez, and Nick Gonzales all doubled in the ninth inning to leave the game with a 5-9 loss. Valdez in particular continued his torrid streak, tallying three hits from the cleanup spot.
Game two on the Fourth of July was a bit of an oddity. It was earliest start time for a Pirates game in nearly 30 years, and Braxton Ashcraft had the start against a Nationals opener – Carson Palmquist. The Bucs jumped on Palmquist early, as Konnor Griffin sole home on a Bryan Reynolds steal of second base in the first inning. However, on the first pitch of Braxton Ashcraft’s day, James Wood absolutely pounded his sixth leadoff home run of the season. This was basically the last blemish on Ashcraft, and the bats came to help him out. The second inning was a long one, as the Bucs went station-to-station repeatedly to bring the lead to 5-1, essentially ending the game. Yohan Ramirez, Mason Montgomery, Dennis Santana, and Cam Sanders all went scoreless in this one, and the Bucs pushed across two more in the 8th to bring the game to its final score of 8-1. While the Bucs didn’t have a single extra base hit in this one, they constantly had productive at bats and ran the bases extremely well. After the game, the team got its much anticipated news of the All Star rosters, and the selections might have lit a spark under them. While Paul Skenes was elected to his third Midsummer Classic in his first three years, Braxton Ashcraft, Brandon Lowe, and Bryan Reynolds were all absolutely snubbed.
While Ashcraft put on his show the day before, Reynolds and Lowe got their revenge in game three. Bubba Chandler and Cade Cavalli both struggled in this one, as the weather was absolutely blistering. Tyler Callihan and Jake Mangum both had RBI hits in the second inning to drive across three, and then in the third, Bryan Reynolds lined his 13th home run of the season into centerfield. The Nationals eventually came back to tie the game at four in the fifth inning off of Chandler, but after that, both bullpens took over the game. To be candid, this was an absolute shock, as these two bullpens have blown the most amount of games in the entire league. And yet, going into the eighth inning, neither had budged. Luckily for the Pirates, that was the inning where the Nationals’ magic for the day ended. Konnor Griffin came through with the bases loaded, driving in two runs with an opposite field single, and then Brandon Lowe had his all star moment, destroying a three run homer to put the game out of reach. Gregory Soto and Dennis Santana followed Isaac Mattson and Mason Montgomery, and while Soto did give up a home run, the Pirates were able to win the getaway game 11-5.
This was a series that has to feel good for the Bucs. Game one was rough, but it was followed up with two offensive explosions that featured contributions up and down the lineup.
The MVP of this series went a bit unheralded in this recap – Nick Gonzales. Nick might’ve been an all-star snub himself, as he leads National League third basemen in fWAR and is hitting a ridiculous .312. He got six hits in this three game set, and got on bae four times in the finale.
The Bucs have an off day today before returning to PNC Park to face the Braves, who utterly dominated the Bucs in their first matchup this year. Paul Skenes will be matched up against a likely bullpen day for Atlanta on Tuesday, as he looks to rebound from a few uncharacteristic starts. Lets Go Bucs!
