Pittsburgh Pirates DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes pitched well but took the loss in Monday's 4-0 game against the Cardinals. Skenes pitched six innings, allowing one run on four hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. Unfortunately, the Pirates could not provide any offensive support and were shut down by Andre Pallante. Regardless of the loss, the 22-year-old rookie has been outstanding this season. He is now 10-3 with a 2.07 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and an 11.29 K/9 rate in 21 starts and 126 IP. His next matchup will be on the road at the Reds. While the ballpark is not favorable, Skenes has proven to be a top fantasy pitcher in any matchup.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The veteran slugger has started in six of the last seven contests. That being said, it's not shocking to see McCutchen getting a rest day with the Pirates having little incentive to win with their season basically over. In his place, Joey Bart will serve as the designated hitter and bat third versus right-hander Andre Pallante. Bart is in the middle of a breakout season with a .267 batting average and 13 home runs with 43 RBI in 71 games this season. He has a favorable matchup here for fantasy managers looking for a streaming option or DFS help.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz (ankle) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. This comes as little surprise after Cruz was forced to exit early during Sunday's game due to an ankle issue. It's the same ankle that Cruz fractured last season, so the Pirates aren't taking any chances. For now, Cruz is considered as day-to-day, so hopefully he'll be back in the lineup later this week. In the meantime, Billy Cook will cover center field and bat ninth versus right-hander Andre Pallante. Cook has been quiet with the bat during his brief time in the MLB and can be avoided as a streaming option.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are calling up infield prospect Nick Yorke from Triple-A Indianapolis to the big leagues on Monday, according to sources. Yorke is with the team in St. Louis for their series against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium to begin the week. The 22-year-old was acquired by the Bucs from the Boston Red Sox at the end of July in the trade that sent pitcher Quinn Priester to Boston. Per MLB Pipeline, he's considered Pittsburgh's No. 6 prospect. The former first-rounder has hit a combined .303/.385/.449 with an .834 OPS, 12 homers, 72 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 123 games with Double-A Portland, Triple-A Worcester and Indianapolis this year to earn his first big-league call-up. With experience at second base, third, shortstop and the outfield, Yorke should play regularly down the stretch in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz (ankle) left early during Sunday's game against the Kansas City Royals. Cruz left the game after slipping in the outfield, but is considered as day-to-day. Manager Derek Shelton said Cruz was pulled for precautionary reasons and is dealing with ankle discomfort. This sounds like a day-to-day type of issue that shouldn't require a trip to the injured list. Cruz is still getting comfortable with his new spot in the outfield, but the Pirates want to see him out there long term. Michael A. Taylor replaced Cruz in center field on Sunday. Taylor will likely see more time out there until Cruz is back, but he doesn't offer much value with his .190 batting average.