Pirates' Bailey Falter Completes Historic May

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed starting pitcher Bailey Falter finished his May with one of the best showings in a month in franchise history.

Falter dominated over his five starts in May, allowing just three earned runs over 35.2 innings for a 0.76 ERA with three wins and no losses. He gave up 17 hits and 13 walks while posting 19 strikeouts with a .147 opposing batting average and a 0.84 WHIP.

That 0.76 ERA ranks as the third-lowest for a Pirates pitcher in a month since the start of the Live Ball-era (1920-present). The only pitchers with a lower ERA include left-handed pitcher Zane Smith with a 0.66 ERA in September 1990, and right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes with a 0.75 ERA in September 2024.

“Unbelievable," Pirates manager Don Kelly said on Falter. "Just the way he’s pounded the strike zone. Found ways to get ahead there. Uses his fastball to get in and out. Mixed in slider, change up. He’s pitching really well.”

Falter capped off his dominant month with a sensational performance against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 31. He allowed just two hits and one walk, while adding a strikeout over 6.1 innings and 79 pitches in the 5-0 victory.

He started the month off with a great outing vs. the Padres at PNC Park on May 3, allowing just two hits and a solo home run over 7 innings pitched, while posting a season-high six strikeouts.

Falter finished May with four scoreless outings and just one game where he allowed earned runs, giving up two vs. the Milwaukee Brewers on May 25.

He won his first game of the month in Kelly's first game as manager on May 9 vs. the Atlanta Braves and got his second vs. the Cincinnati Reds on May 20, throwing seven scoreless innings, with both games at PNC Park.

"Yeah that's pretty awesome," Falter said on his month of May. "I'm just out there trying to ride the wave. I mean, we've got four more months of this, at least four more months. Job's not done. Great month of May. Just gonna take that on forward here."

Falter normally throws a fastball, slider, curveball and his sinker, but his changeup is one that he's most proud of in terms of his development, who he credits both Pirates pitching coach Oscar Marín and assistant pitching coach Brent Strom for developing.

"I think that the changeup is really standing out for me right now," Falter said. "A lot of these guys on opposing teams know that I don't really throw it too much. I never really had a changeup, but the more I've been working on it with Oscar and Strom. I know Strom loves it, tells me all the time, but I think that's the difference maker for me right now."

His performances in May provide a stark contrast to his outings in April, where he finished with a 1-3 record over five starts, a 6.66 ERA over 24.1 innings pitched. He allowed 18 earned runs, including four outings allowing at least three or more runs.

Falter is now down to a 3.14 ERA and now serves as a strong option for the Pirates starting rotation, who already has Skenes and right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, and veteran left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney at No. 5.

Kelly praised Falter's aggressive style on the mound, attacking hitters and mixing up his pitching arsenal, which has resulted in better performances recently.

“Yeah I think it’s the, we know he’s got the extension and the fastball," Kelly said. "Pitching in has been really good and then he’s continued to develop his offspeed pitches, is the big thing. Being able to throw it for a strike and he got some swing-and-miss too down in the zone tonight. He continues to work, continues to get better and allows that fastball, to use that to open up the other stuff.”