The Pittsburgh Pirates had a terrible month in August. Their odds of making the playoffs on July 22 were about 50/50, coming in at 47.2%. A month later, on August 22, their playoff odds had fallen to just 2%. However, the Pirates are making one last push to put themselves back into playoff contention. At the time of this writing, they've won five of their last six series and have put themselves 4 1/2 games out of a Wild Card spot. It's still a long shot, but the Pirates' playoff hopes are not completely dead, even if they are on life support. If they want to keep them alive and make a late-season push for the last Wild Card spot, they need a few players to lock in.
Jared Jones was one of the many Pirates players who went into a massive slump in August. Going into the month, he owned a quality 3.81 ERA, 3.43 FIP, and 1.02 WHIP over his first 11 starts and 52 innings coming off the injured list. In that time, he struck out 27.9% of batters, with just a 7.2% walk rate. Opposing hitters also batted below the Mendoza Line against him at .197.
Aug 4, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones (17) delivers a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Then, in five starts during August, Jones allowed 17 earned runs over just 20 2/3 innings of work. His K% fell to 24%, and his walk rate rose to 11.5%. Sure, a .383 batting average on ***** in play didn't do him any favors, but opponents owned a 91.3 MPH exit velocity, 9.2% barrel rate, and 2.18 HR/9 ratio against him.
If his first start of September says anything, Jones is starting to lock back in again. He pitched six scoreless frames against the Los Angeles Angels. He allowed just three hits, with nine strikeouts, and just one walk allowed. While it was against a team with a combined OPS of .677, it is a step in the right direction for Jones. Returning to his July form, where he had a 2.00 ERA, 33.7% K%, and 6.1% BB%, would give the Pirates' rotation a much-needed boost of energy, giving them just enough to be playoff-ready.
#month #first
Jared Jones was one of the many Pirates players who went into a massive slump in August. Going into the month, he owned a quality 3.81 ERA, 3.43 FIP, and 1.02 WHIP over his first 11 starts and 52 innings coming off the injured list. In that time, he struck out 27.9% of batters, with just a 7.2% walk rate. Opposing hitters also batted below the Mendoza Line against him at .197.
Aug 4, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones (17) delivers a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Then, in five starts during August, Jones allowed 17 earned runs over just 20 2/3 innings of work. His K% fell to 24%, and his walk rate rose to 11.5%. Sure, a .383 batting average on ***** in play didn't do him any favors, but opponents owned a 91.3 MPH exit velocity, 9.2% barrel rate, and 2.18 HR/9 ratio against him.
If his first start of September says anything, Jones is starting to lock back in again. He pitched six scoreless frames against the Los Angeles Angels. He allowed just three hits, with nine strikeouts, and just one walk allowed. While it was against a team with a combined OPS of .677, it is a step in the right direction for Jones. Returning to his July form, where he had a 2.00 ERA, 33.7% K%, and 6.1% BB%, would give the Pirates' rotation a much-needed boost of energy, giving them just enough to be playoff-ready.
#month #first
2 months ago
