Pirates Get Failing Midseason Grade

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have not had the season they wanted and are one of the worst teams in the MLB at the midway point.

The Pirates are 32-50 overall, 20-21 at home and 12-29 on the road after 82 games with just 80 remaining in the campaign. They are 16.5 games behind the Chicago Cubs in first place of the National League Central, 13.0 games back in the NL Wild Card race and have the third worst record in the MLB, only ahead of the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies.

Pittsburgh struggles the most with hitting, as they've lost numerous close games, and even tied the MLB record with 26 straight games of four runs scored or less.

The Pirates have the worst slugging percentage (.337), rank second worst in OPS (.639), tied for the fourth worst batting average (.228), seventh worst on-base percentage (.302).

They also have the least doubles (103), home runs (55), RBIs (257), second least total bases (915) seventh least hits (619), plus the fourth most strikeouts (721).

Pittsburgh only signed two free agents on offense this season in 37-year old outfielder Tommy Pham and 33-year old second baseman Adam Frazier for his second stint with the team.

Pham has batted .223 and Frazier has hit slightly better at .251, but both serve as just two additions after the Pirates fired their hitting coach, Andy Haines, after a poor offensive showing last season.

The only Pirates hitters above .250, along with Frazier, include designated hitter Andrew McCutchen (.259), shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa (.273), plus both first baseman Spencer Horwitz (.256) and second baseman Nick Gonzales (.301), who each dealt with long-term injuries.

The Pirates have done better with their pitching, ranking in the top 10 for WHIP and opposing batting average, plus 15th in ERA.

They also have right-handed pitchers Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller with sub .500 records, but with 13 and 11 quality starts, respectively, ranking tied for third and seventh in the MLB, respectively.

Pittsburgh fired manager Derek Shelton after a 12-26 start on May 8 and replaced him with Don Kelly, who has gone 20-24 during his time at the helm.

Dan Perry of CBS Sports gave out midseason grades for each MLB Team and handed the Pirates an 'F'.

Perry criticized Pirates owner Bob Nutting for his lack of spending and blames him for the season they've had.

"On the positive side, Paul Skenes is predictably a Cy Young contender, and franchise legend Andrew McCutchen is enjoying a productive age-38 campaign," Perry wrote. "In the end, though, this is a last-place team that's on pace for XX losses. As such, the Buccos are at risk of clocking their third 100-loss season in the last five years. Bob Nutting, who refuses to invest in the team at adequate levels, remains the leading culprit for what's become of the organization."