Pirates Face Giants at Trade Deadline Crossroads

General Manager Ben Cherington has been candid about the team’s approach, filling reporters in on his approach during a press conference last month.

"I do the best I can to stay in touch with the players that might be in that speculation. I’ve started a little bit of that, and will do more of that in the coming weeks," said Cherington.

"I want the door to be open if guys want to talk more — or less. Sometimes I have players tell me to not worry about it... They just say if a trade happens, come find me, basically."

Cherington also acknowledged the team’s struggles this season that has put them in a position to be seller at the deadline.

"We’re capable of winning more games with this group. We’re also not delivering what we need to our fans, clearly. You can go all the way back to last August and we haven’t won enough games — not nearly enough," he said.

"We have to be honest about that and we have to find solutions... These next five weeks will bring opportunities that we can use to our advantage, and we have to be ready for that."

Despite trade rumors, Cherington has emphasized caution when it comes to dealing the surplus of pitching that the organization possesses.

"I think we want to be careful about it, because you have pitching depth until you don’t. It’s hard to get it back... We’re not anxious to trade pitching," Cherington said.

San Francisco, currently third in the NL West (7.0 GB), remains on the fringe of the Wild Card race with an 18.3% chance to make the postseason, according to FanGraphs' metrics.

Their pitching staff has been a strength, ranking 6th in MLB with a 3.64 ERA, anchored by Logan Webb (3.38 ERA) and Robbie Ray (2.93 ERA). However, their offense has struggled, ranking 23rd in runs scored (436) and 26th in team batting average (.233).

The Pirates’ rotation will be tasked with taking on a Giants team that has struggled recently (2-8 in last 10 games and a current three-game losing streak). Keller is scheduled to pitch in the opener, but if traded after, Pittsburgh may turn to a young arm like Bubba Chandler, the top pitching prospect in all of baseball, for his spot in the rotation.

The Giants, meanwhile, are expected to debut their number three prospect, lefty Carson Whisenhunt, in Monday night's opening game, adding intrigue to the pitching matchups.

With the deadline just days away, this series could mark the final appearances for several Pirates in black and gold. Whether Pittsburgh opts for a full sell-off or retains core pieces like Keller, the next 48 hours will help shape not just this series, but the franchise’s future.

Key Stats

• Two-Bag Buccos: 14 doubles over last seven days is fourth in MLB
• Pirates' Pitching Pacing: 1.13 ERA over last seven days is best in MLB
• The Pirates and Giants have met a total of 2,201 times. The Giants lead the series 1159-1017.

Probable Pitchers & Matchups

Game 1: Monday, 9:45 PM EDT at Oracle Park

• PIT: RHP Mitch Keller (4-10, 3.53 ERA, 97 K)
• SF: LHP Carson Whisenhunt (First career MLB start)
• Key Battle: Keller vs Giants SS Willy Adames (.269 AVG, .758 OPS, 1 HR, 4 RBI in 26 career AB against Keller)

Game 2: Tuesday, 9:45 PM EDT at Oracle Park

• PIT: LHP Bailey Falter (7-5, 3.82 ERA, 69 K)
• SF: RHP Justin Verlander (1-8, 4.70 ERA, 70 K)
• Key Battle: Verlander vs Pirates OF Andrew McCutchen (.125 AVG, .449 OPS, 0 HR, 2 RBI in 24 career AB against Verlander; potentially the last matchup between the two)

Game 3: Wednesday, 3:45 PM EDT at Oracle Park

• PIT: RHP Mike Burrows (1-3, 4.15 ERA, 53 K)
• SF: RHP Logan Webb (9-8, 3.38 ERA, 144 K)
• Key Battle: Webb vs Pirates OF Bryan Reynolds (1-for-9, 1 RBI in nine career AB against Webb)

Players to Watch

• RP David Bednar (PIT): Notched 100th career save this past weekend; still has not allowed a run since May 23
• SP Mitch Keller (PIT): Four consecutive quality starts; 15 QS this season is tied for first in MLB
• 3B Matt Chapman (SF): .316 BA, .409 OBP, 3 HR, 6 RBI over last seven days (five games)
• DH Rafael Devers (SF): .318 BA, .348 OBP, 2 HR, 2 2B, 5 RBI over last seven days (five games)