CLEVELAND -- The Pirates’ final game of the season played out like many of their other 41 losses in 60 games, failing to come through in the end, this time against the Indians at Progressive Field Sunday, losing, 8-6.
It brings an end to the club’s 2020 season, where they finished 19-41, the worst record in the majors and the club’s .317 winning percentage was the second worst in franchise history in the modern era, with only the 1952 club finishing worse at .273. It also wraps up the first season in the Derek Shelton/Ben Cherington era.
So how did they get there? Here are five quick storylines to sum up the Pirates’ season.
VIRUS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Let’s get the obvious one out of the way.
Spring training in Bradenton, Fla., was rolling along before the pandemic brought everything to a screeching halt on Mar. 12. After a lengthy layoff, and an ugly public battle between the owners and player’s association, players returned to work in July, after the two sides had hammered out health and safety protocols.
The changes kept coming. Players and staff had to take COVID-19 tests every other day. Hitters were not allowed to access in-game video anymore, causing problems for many hitters. With the shortened ramp up time, there was a drastic increase in pitcher injuries.
And the Pirates twice had games postponed in August because their opponents, the Cardinals and Reds, had an outbreak of the virus in their clubhouses.
“Every day we have to be prepared for something to be different,” Shelton said recently. “Our guys adapted and adjusted. We’re doing it with what time we get to the ballpark, the game time, the whole thing. Just continue to adapt and adjust and move forward.”
SLUMPS UPON SLUMPS
Coming in to the year, the Pirates’ offense seemed to be the strength of the team. Josh Bell was an All-Star the year prior, Bryan Reynolds and Kevin Newman were coming off terrific rookie seasons and Gregory Polanco was finally healthy. While there were concerns in the later half of the lineup, the front half looked solid.
All four slumped dramatically, and the Pirates finished with the worst team on-base percentage (.284), slugging percentage (.357) and OPS (.641).
Going by FanGraphs’ wRC+, which weighs offensive output based on the rest of the league’s performance and a team’s home stadium, they finished with a mark of 73. That was the second-worst in the majors and tied for the second-worst in franchise history, barely ahead of the 1952 team (70).
Timing issues seemed to be the common theme for the hitters, resulting in their drastic drop offs. Individually, Reynolds finished with a .189 batting average, Bell a .669 OPS and Polanco a .153/.214/.325 slash line.
“I know I expected more of myself going into the season,” Bell said. “I know what I’ve got to work on this offseason. I’ve just got to get after it, come back ready to go next year and come back a better player.”
PITCHING SURGES LATE
The Pirates suffered more pitching injuries than just about anyone in baseball, sending 11 different players to the injured list. That included missing their presumed 1-2 starters, Joe Musgrove and Mitch Keller, and the backend of their bullpen -- Keone Kela, Nick Burdi and Kyle Crick -- for most of the year.
Despite that, the Pirates noticeably improved as a staff, especially over the final two weeks of the season, where the rotation pitched to a 1.94 combined ERA over their final 13 starts.
"It feels like we’re all competing with each other to see who can top one another with their performance," Musgrove said.
And in the bullpen’s place, Richard Rodriguez evolved into a reliable closer. Chris Stratton, Sam Howard and Geoff Hartlieb all took a larger roles within the bullpen as well, and mostly succeeded.
Shelton hopes that confidence they found over these last few weeks will cary over into 2021.
“We just need to keep guys healthy because the talent’s there,” Jacob Stallings said.
HAYES TAKES THE LEAGUE BY STORM
Plenty of things went wrong for the Pirates this year. Ke’Bryan Hayes was a saving grace.
This year featured the debuts of Blake Cederlind, JT Brubaker and Jared Oliva, all of whom seem to be key players for the organization going forward, but Hayes was something else, bursting onto the scene with one of the greatest opening months in the history of the game.
The Pirates, and their fans are putting a lot of faith in Hayes. He's ready to take that jump.
“I use it as motivation,” Hayes said. “The success that I've had makes me even hungrier to get back home after the season ends and get even better. There are things I still can work on offensively, defensively, running — all those things.”
Hayes played in just 24 games, but his performance was outstanding enough that he might receive some consideration for rookie of the year.
“I don't see why his name shouldn't be thrown in the mix,” Shelton said.
BUILDING A CULTURE
Due to the league’s health and safety protocols, media was not allowed to enter clubhouses during the summer camp or regular season, so we have to take the players’ word that the mood in the room was a lot better than it was in 2019.
From the day he was introduced as the Pirates’ manager last December, Shelton has openly stated that he wanted to create a player-centric culture within the organization. Even after enduring more losses than anyone else, the mood in the room is much better than when it bottomed out last year.
“Night-and-day difference from where we were at last season at this point,” Adam Frazier said recently. “Couldn’t have gotten much worse [last year]. It’s been great. Guys are playing for each other. We’re there to keep each other in a positive mindset. A lot more ownership of what we’re expected to do. Freedom for you to express yourself and then go about your business.”
• The Pirates took a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth Sunday, but the Indians struck for three runs the next two frames. That includes a Franmil Reyes that ended JT Brubaker's afternoon, and rookie season, on a sour note:
"I just don't think he executed there at the end," Shelton said. "I mean, he threw 10 pitches in the fifth still looking pretty sharp, and then just got out there and wasn't able to execute his breaking ball. Slider had been pretty good, and the one he threw to Franmil just stayed flat. You throw a flat slider to a guy like him, it's gonna go far."
Brubaker finished his day allowing five runs over five-plus innings, striking out three against seven hits and two walks.
"They got me when runners were on," Brubaker said. "Big swings in moments where they RBI opportunities. Tip your cap to ‘em. Other than that, I felt like I had my stuff. I felt like my stuff was there. I just need to limit the mistake pitches."
• Brubaker's first season is in the books. His finished 1-3 with a 4.94 ERA, striking out 48 batters over 47 1/3 innings.
He was used in a variety of roles, starting as a reliever and ending a starter, and while there is no guarantee he will be back in the rotation next year, it seems likely.
Even with the shutdown and having to be stretched out, Brubaker is taking a lot from his rookie campaign.
"Just to be able to get into a groove, that’s something that I’m going to take into next year, where we have a full season and I’m able to go into the season built up, ready to go," Brubaker said. "Definitely something that I’m looking forward to doing."
• Nik Turley allowed the deciding three runs in the seventh, with Carlos Santana driving home the winning tallies with a double.
The offense couldn't respond, and it was another close loss for the Pirates.
"We talked about all year long about finishing games and teaching points and all those things," Shelton said. "It still shows up on the last day of the season."
• Take a guess who provided the offense again:
Hayes got hits, including that third inning home run, in his first two trips to the plate, pushing his streak to eight consecutive at-bats with a hit, something a Pirate hadn't accomplished since Andy Van Slyke did so in 1994.
He went 2-for-4 on the day with the home run and an intentional walk.
Needless to say, Hayes wishes the season isn't coming to a close. He says his body feels like it's May or June, so he feels he could keep going.
But since it is a wrap, he's just going to prepare better for a full season in 2021.
"Going into the offseason, putting a little of my weight back on," Hayes said. "I lost a few pounds. Get all of my strength back and come back for a full year. I think it's gonna be a fun year next year."
• Before the game the Pirates placed Jacob Stallings on the seven-day concussion injured list and added Andrew Susac to the roster from the taxi squad. Shelton said he wanted to reward Susac for his hard work this season. He was a part of every taxi squad this season and caught many of the bullpens taxi squad pitchers would throw.
He went 0-for-2 with two walks on the day.
• Factoid of the night: Hayes finished his season with a .376 batting average and 1.124 OPS.
The last hitter in to match those numbers and have at least 95 plate appearances like Hayes was Larry Walker in 1999. Before him, it was Ted Williams and Bob Hazle in 1957.