The Pittsburgh Pirates lost 1-0 to the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, with their offense failing to show up in a game where the pitching was more than effective.
The stat of the game comes from Jason Mackey, who points out that the Pirates struck out a season-tying-high 16 times. Mackey also points out that the 2024 Pirates are on pace for 1,504 strikeouts, which would break a franchise record. Their previous worst seasons were in 2022 (1,497) and 2023 (1,464).
Pirates struck out 16 times today, tying a season-high.
They currently have the fourth-most strikeouts in MLB (1,179) and are on pace for 1,504.
That would break the franchise record.
At present, their two worst strikeout seasons came in 2022 (1,497) and 2023 (1,464).
— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) August 22, 2024
All three of those seasons had Andy Haines as the hitting coach.
I’ll also add that Haines was previously with Milwaukee as their hitting coach from 2019-2021. The Brewers ranked fifth, second, and eight in the Majors during those seasons in strikeouts.
I don’t relish continuously pointing out how horrible the offense has been under Haines, but it’s gotten beyond obvious. The Pirates could have done something earlier this season, when a change may have allowed them to contend. At this point, they continue to lose games like the one on Wednesday, when the offense had almost no chance.
Strikeouts are the worst result for a hitter. A ball in play at least has a chance to fall for a hit. When you’re striking out in all but 11 of your allocated outs, you’re leaving little chance for batted balls to work out in your favor.
The issue with strikeouts is not limited to the Major League level.
- Indianapolis ranks middle of the pack in the International League with 1,054 strikeouts. This is the best result in the system.
- Altoona leads the Eastern League in strikeouts with 1,092.
- Greensboro has the second-most strikeouts in the South Atlantic League with 1,222.
- Bradenton leads the Florida State League with 1,235 strikeouts, which is about 80 more than the second place team.
If the Pirates are going to win in the future, they will need to figure out their swing and miss issues. They are only getting worse at the Major League level, and the issue is prevalent throughout their minor league organization.
The biggest thing this organization needs over the offseason is a change in their hitting philosophy.
Raising the Roof
My column today was about how the Pirates could improve their offense in 2025. Aside from finding a new hitting coach and changing their offensive philosophy, the Pirates have some big decisions to make.
Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds are two of the best hitters on the team, but also two of the worst defenders. I think the Pirates would be smart to put Isiah Kiner-Falefa at shortstop and move Cruz to the outfield. Reynolds, meanwhile, is one of the worst outfielders in the league, and might benefit long-term with a move to first base.
What the Pirates do with both players in 2025 will determine their offseason approach. One thing is clear: With a floor of average-ish hitters on the roster, they need to focus on adding players who can raise the offensive ceiling.
READ: Raising the Roof on the Pirates Hitting in 2025
Pirates Prospect Watch
Mike Burrows bounced back on Wednesday, allowing one run in four innings for Indianapolis. Jack Suwinski homered. Matt Fraizer homered in Altoona. Mitch Jebb stole two bases for Greensboro, giving him 35 on the season. Read about all of Wednesday’s minor league action in the latest Pirates Prospect Watch.
