Something needs to change with Pirates hitting approach
'It felt like a team that through up their hands and said the hell with it'
The Pittsburgh Pirates bats were silent again in a 5-1 opening series loss to the lowly A's in Oakland Monday night.
The Bucs currently leading the league in strikeouts looking and are struggling scoring runs.
They managed only two hits against a pitcher with an ERA over 6.00 and struckout seven times.
Looking at the lineup, Ke'Bryan Hayes is hitting .282 and Bryan Reynolds is at .248.
Oneil Cruz - .241, Andrew McCutchen - .197, Jack Suwinski -.178, Jared Triolo - .214, Rowdy Tellez - .198, Joey Bart - .241 and Michael A. Taylor -.250.
Discussing the low point of the season on The Joe Show Tuesday, Joe Starkey said Pirates management needs to act now.
The Pirates troubles are many, but they can start by getting rid of hitting coach Andy Haines.
"It should be the end of Andy Haines," Starkey said.
It's not all Haines' fault, but you have to begin somewhere.
Haines has been the hitting coach for the Pirates since 2022 and the offense just can't get anything going.
"I saw a group of hitters who seemed really disinterested in having good at bats," said Paul Zeise, after watching Monday night's game.
Another thing that can be done, bringing up some players hitting the cover off the ball in Triple-A.
Second baseman Nick Gonzales is batting .385, outfielder Ji Hwan Bae is at .378 and first baseman Jake Lamb is currently at .382. At least one of those players should be in Pittsburgh when the team returns to PNC Park this weekend.
It's still only April, but the Pirates went from 9-2 to 14-16. They're 5-14 since the good start.
That's a 119-loss pace. Things need to turn around soon.
