The Pirates are 22 and 26 and 6 games back of first place through the first 48 games.
But Joe Starkey believes the organization should be treating this 2024 team like they’re 30-18 and should be buyers, not sellers at the trade deadline.
Why?
Mitch Keller, Jared Jones and Paul Skenes, that’s why.
Skenes threw a no-hitter before being taken out in the sixth inning Friday, Jones continues to be impressive, posting a 2.89 ERA through nine starts with 63 strikeouts over 53 innings pitched and Keller is adjusting well to his role as the third starter.
“The time is now for the Pirates,” said Starkey. “You don’t know when you’ll ever have this again, which is to say Skenes, Jones, Keller. But, especially Skenes and then Jones and then Keller, health and at the top of their games.”
Starkey says having three pitchers, pitching this well, in the same rotation doesn’t happen often.
Too many things can happen to keep a staff sustainable for multiple years. Someone falls off or gets injured or other unforeseen factors.
Starkey says you can laugh if you want, if you have those three pitchers in a playoff series, you can make some noise.
But! They need to add pieces this year. That means getting rid of Rowdy Tellez, and in Starkey’s opinion, Jack Suwinski.
While the Pirates are 6.0 games back of the first place, the National League Central Division is winnable. The Brewers are 27-19 and after taking 3-of-4 from the Cubs, the Bucs are now 2.0 games back of Chicago.