The White Sox and the Rockies. What do those two ball clubs have in common? They are the only two teams in Major League Baseball with worse win percentages (29.4% and 17.6%, respectively), than the Pittsburgh Pirates, who currently sit at 34.3% after a dismal 12-23 beginning to the 2025 season. 

For some perspective, the White Sox went 41-121 last season, setting the all-time record for most losses in a season. The Rockies finished 20 games better, but were still 40 games below .500 at season’s end. The Pirates finished 76-86, and many thought would improve on their win tally from a year ago and be in the mix for a wild card spot, whereas Chicago and Colorado had much more dismal outlooks.

Yet, here we are, on May 5th. The Pirates have played 35 games. In those 35 games, they have been held scoreless six times—more than once every six games. They have hit into an MLB-leading 35 double plays, averaging exactly one per game—that is not a statistic conducive to scoring runs.

Barring the 60-game season due to the pandemic, this year’s start is their worst through 35 games since 2006, when the team went 67-95. Hell, they started better in 2010 when they finished with a 57-105 record.

Let us take a look at the Pirates’ lineup for tonight’s game against the Cardinals and see if we can pinpoint an issue:

1. O’Neil Cruz (.243 AVG/.882 OPS)
2. Bryan Reynolds (.232/.654)
3. Andrew McCutchen (.263/.779)
4. Joey Bart (.282/.796)
5. Enmanuel Valdez (.207/.667)
6. Ke’Bryan Hayes (.254/.622)
7. Adam Frazier (.227/.616)
8. Tommy Pham (.184/.481)
9. Jared Triolo (.154/.423)

What do you notice? Something that sticks out to me is that there are only three hitters in the lineup that have an on-base-plus-slugging above .700. There are two hitters with an OPS below .500! In year six of the Cherington/Shelton administration, THIS is the lineup that they are trotting out against a division foe. 

I understand that there are injuries (Triolo would not be playing if Kiner-Falefa were healthy), but IKF is not all that great either! Are you telling me it would hurt to try some of the youngsters in the minors at this point? Can they be any worse than Tommy Pham and his .184 batting average???

Sadly, hitting is not the only issue with this pathetic excuse for an organization. The team is 21st in earned run average as a pitching staff (allowing 4.27 earned runs per nine innings), and that includes Paul Skenes’ 2.74 ERA as a starter and Dennis Santana’s 1.35 ERA out of the bullpen. 3 of the 5 starters for the Pirates have ERAs above 4, with Carmen Mlodzinski’s being the worst at 6.58 (he pitches tonight).

Mlodzinski, of course, is not a starter by trade—he is a relief pitcher that Shelton has deputized as a starter. He actually has very good numbers the first time through the order, but gets progressively worse each time a batter sees him. You would THINK a manager would notice this and use Mlodzinski in a role better suited for him. Naaaahhhhhh.

As you can probably tell by now, I am extremely frustrated. What is it going to take for changes to be made? Between the hitters that are trotted out there day-in and day-out and the mind-boggling decisions made with the pitching staff, I think a four year-old could run the team better. It has become borderline unwatchable, and that says something considering how many bad seasons I have witnessed.