Pirates Insider: Six things we learned from the team’s recent six-game road trip

NEW YORK -- Late Wednesday night did not offer much opportunity for perspective.

The Pirates suffered a 2-0 loss after they struck out 12 times, bringing their daily total to 29. The decision to replace Bubba Chandler with Brandon Eisert after 6 1/3 innings and 84 pitches obviously proved costly.

But the frustrating defeat did conclude a 3-3 road trip to a pair of American League playoff contenders, while the Pirates (53-50) sit a half-game back of the final National League Wild Card spot.

With a day off before this weekend’s series against the NL Central-leading Cubs at PNC Park, let’s examine six things we learned from this road trip — three apiece on either end of the spectrum.

Solid start(s)

It wasn’t just Chandler, although he had the best outing of his young career, allowing two hits and a walk while collecting five strikeouts and 11 whiffs. We saw Chandler’s four-seam fastball touch 102 mph, while his slider had plenty of bite.

In game one of Wednesday’s doubleheader, Keller delivered the type of outing the Pirates need from him in the second half with five scoreless frames, two walks and six punchouts. Keller executed with two strikes and missed bats with his curveball.

Jared Jones struck out nine over five innings of one-run ball in game one Saturday in Cleveland, lowering his ERA to 1.20 over his past three starts with just three walks and 23 strikeouts in 15 innings.

On Sunday, Paul Skenes enjoyed his longest outing since May 12 — seven innings, one run, eight strikeouts — and won his third straight start. The Pirates ace has a 2.45 ERA over his past three since that clunker in Philly.

Even Khristian Curtis got into the mix, though it wasn’t as a starter. He worked five innings in relief in game two Saturday, showing an attacking mentality that could play at this level considering his quality stuff.

The big decision

Pirates manager Don Kelly said it was because Chandler hadn’t pitched in nine days and the organization didn’t want to push it with a young pitcher who’s obviously important.

He also cited a double allowed to Cody Bellinger and a single from Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the second inning, but that discounts the fact that Chandler had retired eight in a row before he was removed.

It wasn’t the only reason the Pirates lost the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader — they also didn’t score a run — but it certainly didn’t sit well with fans, dulling some of the progress made over the past 19 games, during which the Pirates have gone 11-8.

All of those have come against teams .500 or better. Five of those six series were against teams in playoff position. But that’s not the conversation around the Pirates right now after the decision to remove Chandler backfired.

Making magic

Esmerlyn Valdez was quiet Wednesday (outside of four walks) but has gone from fun story to legitimate power threat in the middle of the Pirates lineup, the type of player who appears capable of sustained success.

His 436-foot, opposite-field homer Monday showed off his massive power. Furthermore, he still has seven home runs over his past 10 games while collecting 22 RBIs in July, the second-most for a Pirates rookie in a single month since 2000.

It doesn’t lessen the sting of two games on the trip the Pirates could/should have won. But if Valdez continues to play like this, or even close, it should matter far more in the long run.

The key stat there: Since June 19, nobody in MLB has a better OPS than Valdez (1.307).

Top 3 struggle

The Pirates’ top three hitters had a day to forget Wednesday, as Bryan Reynolds, Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn combined to go 1 for 24 with 12 strikeouts. It concluded a quiet trip for that group, which has yet to rediscover its pre-All Star break form.

Since the restart, those three are hitting .141 (9 for 64) with two extra-base hits and 31 strikeouts.

The return of Spencer Horwitz will help. Pittsburgh has been getting offense from other places, and cold stretches are inevitable over the course of a long season. But those three scuffling at the same time is obviously not ideal.

The Gonzali

In game one Wednesday, Nick Gonzales and Jacob Gonzalez hit back-to-back and each cracked a home run. Their similar last names has provided a fun piece of fodder around the team, but they’ve provided some much-needed juice during a period where the Pirates’ best hitters have gone quiet (see above).

The acquisition of Gonzalez looks like shrewd business for general manager Ben Cherington, while Gonzales’ breakout year has him sitting fourth in MLB with a .313 average. Since May 30, Gonzales has an .890 OPS, second among Pirates regulars behind Valdez.

Meanwhile, Gonzalez has played six games with the Pirates and has gone 5 for 16 (.313) with three extra-base hits and five RBIs.

“He’s a great dude and a great hitter,” Nick Gonzales said of Jacob Gonzalez. “It’s fun to watch that guy swing. Just get on base, and he can drive me in.”

Bullpen answers needed

While the Pirates went 3-3 on the trip, they’re really not any closer to finding internal solutions in the bullpen — and that needs to happen.

Mason Montgomery and Yohan Ramirez have been solid. Wilber Dotel looked excellent in spinning three scoreless innings Monday.

But Gregory Soto blew a save Saturday in Cleveland, while Carmen Mlodzinski fell behind Ben Rice, 3-1, in the first game Wednesday before throwing a cutter over the middle of the plate that got hit out for a three-run homer.

The results from this group haven’t been good enough. How much longer should that be allowed to continue before attention turns elsewhere, either to the Minor Leagues or pulling the trigger on a trade?

Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH on X.