Pittsburgh Pirates DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman was called upon to record the final two outs of Thursday's game against the Washington Nationals. The Pirates were leading by five runs, but got into some trouble during the final frame. They brought in Chapman to put out the fire, which he did with ease. The southpaw recorded his sixth save of the season on Thursday. He appears to be the favorite to lock down saves in Pittsburgh with David Bednar being removed from that role. Fantasy managers looking for help with saves should check the waiver wire to see if Chapman is available.

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said that outfielder/designated hitter Andrew McCutchen (knee) was scratched from the lineup on Wednesday against the division-rival Chicago Cubs because his knee was a "little cranky" when he showed up to the field. "He's 37 years old, and some days he wakes up and feels better than he does. He's still available," Shelton said. The Pirates probably could have used McCutchen on Wednesday, as they were no hit by lefty starter Shota Imanaga and two relievers in an 12-0 blowout loss. McCutchen recently returned from a stint on the injured list due to inflammation in the same knee, so this isn't a great sign. In four games since his return, he's gone 4-for-15 with two homers and six RBI. With McCutchen out on Wednesday, Oneil Cruz was the DH and Michael Taylor got the start in center field. The Pirates aren't going to rush the aging veteran back into the lineup at this point.

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Domingo German will make the start for the Pirates on Wednesday at Wrigley Field against the division-rival Chicago Cubs. The addition of German to Pittsburgh's rotation will give the team's young starters a little extra rest as we near the stretch run of the 2024 campaign. The 32-year-old German has a rough 6.11 ERA and 1.58 WHIP with 15 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings over six outings (one start) at the major-league level in 2024. He did toss six shutout innings with four walks and four strikeouts in his one start on Aug. 21 against the Texas Rangers, though. Since then, he's surrendered 10 earned runs on 11 hits (one homer) while walking five and striking out seven in just 5 2/3 innings. The matchup against Chicago isn't a terrible one, but German should only be considered by desperate fantasy managers in the deepest of leagues.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes turned in another excellent start in Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Cubs. Skenes pitched five innings, allowing four hits and four walks with six strikeouts on 100 pitches. The 22-year-old rookie has lived up to the hype this season as one of baseball's top prospects, going 9-2 with a 2.13 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and an 11.21 K/9 rate in 19 starts and 114 IP. His performance has put him in the National League Rookie of the Year conversation and has made him a high-end fantasy option on a start-by-start basis. He will have another opportunity to showcase his skills in his next start, which will be a favorable matchup against the Nationals.

Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Chicago Cubs. This is a rare day off for Kiner-Falefa who has played in every game since he joined the Pirates. The 29-year-old has struggled with a .223/.263/.321 slash line with one home run and seven RBI in 27 games with Pittsburgh. He was tearing the cover off the ball before heading to Pittsburgh, so hopefully a rest day will help him get back on track. In his place, Alika Williams will cover shortstop and bat ninth versus right-hander Jameson Taillon. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere for a streaming option as Williams only has two hits in his last five games.