8 straight loses when he starts, wowAnother "non-elite" start with Skenes--becoming a theme
Just saw a segment on the MLB Network about potential sellers at the trade deadline. Apparently, the Mets have a decent bullpen and maybe willing to trade a few pitchers.Another fine showing by the bullpen!
Serious question...are we buyers right now? With each passing week the playoffs seem more and more unlikely.Just saw a segment on the MLB Network about potential sellers at the trade deadline. Apparently, the Mets have a decent bullpen and maybe willing to trade a few pitchers.
I don’t think they know what they are right now. However, the bullpen is clearly the weakest link, so if there’s any chance of improvement at the deadline, that’s it.Serious question...are we buyers right now? With each passing week the playoffs seem more and more unlikely.
Agreed--I think if they can find a couple cheap bullpen arms they might do that but they won't give away any real prospects to add right now.I don’t think they know what they are right now. However, the bullpen is clearly the weakest link, so if there’s any chance of improvement at the deadline, that’s it.
They are just such a sad sack, pathetic organization in every respect. Coming into this series, the Reds only had won three division games all season and now they’ve won five and three of them are against the Fucs.Pathetic yet again
SSDD--it's just unacceptable at this point. We've all been discussing how bad the pen has been for months and the Bucs refuse to do anything about it. I don't know why I still even pay attention.They are just such a sad sack, pathetic organization in every respect. Coming into this series, the Reds only had won three division games all season and now they’ve won five and three of them are against the Fucs.
The pitching has been bad all season and especially the bullpen, yet the incompetent GM has done absolutely nothing to bring in outside help. That team has lost so many games this season that they’ve been winning after six innings; it has to be approaching upwards of ten games.Pathetic yet again
I just read that they now have blown 23 leads this season, which only is a little half over.SSDD--it's just unacceptable at this point. We've all been discussing how bad the pen has been for months and the Bucs refuse to do anything about it. I don't know why I still even pay attention.
Really?8 straight loses when he starts, wow
Leyland is the GOAT. I loved that guy. I even rooted for him when he was in Detroit.Might be time to start looking at the coaching staff. Where's Jim Leyland when you need him?
Wow...and thats even with the starters not living up to their hype so far.My buddy sent me a stat, if games ended after 7 innings, Pitt would be 55-27
Seriously? Get a buddy - who isn't an idiot. Or, don't listen to idiocy.My buddy sent me a stat, if games ended after 7 innings, Pitt would be 55-27
They just took the 15 blown saves (before yesterday) and changed the record. Maybe they used 14.Seriously? Get a buddy - who isn't an idiot. Or, don't listen to idiocy.
Obviously not correct (even aside from the outrageousness of the claim, this would also mean there was NEVER a game that was tied through 7 innings. That's kind of a clue?)
Bucs actual record, through 7 innings per game:
37W-36L with 9 ties through 7.
You can look 'em up.
2026 Pittsburgh Pirates Schedule | Baseball-Reference.com
The bullpen has been awful - especially when they have to cover 4 or more innings per game - which has been WAY too often,
But how gonzo (drunk?) - or completely ignorant of the game and how its played- would someone have to be to come up with such a nutty "truth"?
LOL Probably.They just took the 15 blown saves (before yesterday) and changed the record. Maybe they used 14.
Looks like he got it hereLOL Probably.
Probably don't even know that "blown saves" does not even mean "game lost"
Obviously, you can and do have "blown saves" in games you win - and games with multiple blown saves on one day, and "blown saves" that occur any inning of the game..... or that some of those are offset with games where you take your own lead late on the way to a win. Etc etc etc etc
Sports fans? LOL

Nice win--thought they were going to blow it again in the 8th lolRaise it.
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Pirates 11-7 Phillies (Jun 29, 2026) Final Score - ESPN
Game summary of the Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB game, final score 11-7, from June 29, 2026 on ESPN.www.espn.com
I thought they were dead in the water when they fell behind 5-0 to the Phillies high powered offense. I’ll give it to this group…they are scrappy. The bullpen is screaming for help. I hope it isn’t falling on deaf ears in the front office.Nice win--thought they were going to blow it again in the 8th lol
Agree. Best offense (not defense) in years.I thought they were dead in the water when they fell behind 5-0 to the Phillies high powered offense. I’ll give it to this group…they are scrappy.
Well…they’ve waited so long to address it, can’t say now is the best time. These two weeks will be a challenge. I’ll be satisfied if they can stay .500 by time it is over. Hoping it doesn’t go south fast.The bullpen is screaming for help. I hope it isn’t falling on deaf ears in the front office.
Yeah. To be fair. The fielding sucks tonight. Gonzales misplays the throw home trying to get Bohm at the plate allowing two runs to score. The next batter, Turner then hits a 3 R HR. Then Callahan misplays the Harper hit to left field and allows two more runs to score. Atrocious.Never thought I'd be posting in 2026 that the Bucs probably should have traded Skenes when his value was highest before the year because, Jesus, he's mid at best currently
It's not all Skenes--I agree with you but he's been a shell of the guy he was last yearYeah. To be fair. The fielding sucks tonight. Gonzales misplays the throw home trying to get Bohm at the plate allowing two runs to score. The next batter, Turner then hits a 3 R HR. Then Callahan misplays the Harper hit to left field and allows two more runs to score. Atrocious.
So very sad--so very trueIt’s our own fault for letting this team dupe us into thinking this year would be different.
It is not just his velo being down.Several times, during the Pirates broadcast, they've noted Skenes' velocity is down this years maybe signs of arm fatigue or bigger problem? This team is fools gold-it has enough talent to make the playoffs but the bullpen is atrocious, too much dead weight (Davis, Ozuna, Cook, Triolo, etc.) and ownership that doesn't care for anything other than![]()
Dontrelle Willis or Rick Ankiel maybe?It is not just his velo being down.
His previously sharp breaking off speed stuff is now - more and more often - nothing but heart of the strike zone floaters, or delivered 3 feet off target.
It is a striking difference from the recent past.
Why? IDK, don't know nearly enough about pitching mechanics to have an educated take on that - but the results are obvious to see. Dramatic changes over just a few months time.
Maybe Skenes will bounce back, but right now this is heading towards the most dramatic and unexpected melt down since Steve Blass (to be clear, the Steve Blass situation was much more dramatic - just saying haven't seen anything worse than this since that time). Even situations like Mark Fydrich and Barry Zito and Mark Prior - other dramatic declines, usually could be directly linked to injury issues.