Comparing the 2020 Pirates to the 2021 Pirates
The 2020 season was a very bad year overall for the Pittsburgh Pirates. They finished as the worst team in all of baseball, at 19-41, and had really no positives to speak of moving forward other than developing their young guys. However, not even a year later, the team is outperforming all expectations set in the pre-season. After their first seven games, the team looked to be reverting back to their old ways after a 1-6 start. Since then, they have completely turned things around going 10-5 to improve to 11-11, and they currently sit in third place in the National League Central. Now, they probably aren't going to be competing for a division crown this season, but they are giving the Pirates a lot to look forward to moving forward.
But how much better are the 2021 Pirates from the team they produced last season that went just 5-17 through their first 22 games. A look at the record would tell you a lot better, but on paper, they should actually be worse. They lost their top power hitter, Josh Bell, and two of their top pitchers, Joe Musgrove and Jameson Taillon. However, in their place are young guys who are stepping up at the plate, Bryan Reynolds and Colin Moran, and pitchers that are dominating on the mound, Tyler Anderson and JT Brubaker. No matter how good the Pirates are looking at the 2021 deadline, it is inevitable that many of their trade pieces will be moved. However, we will currently bask in the glow of a young competitive team and take a look at what they are doing this season that they failed to do a year ago.
More Consistent Hitting
On the surface, the biggest difference between the 2021 Pirates and the 2020 Pirates is more consistent hitting. After the shutdown delayed the season for three months, it seemed the only Pirate who could hit the ball was Colin Moran. Everyone else struggled mightily out of the gate, and the lack of offense really took a toll on the pitching staff. This more consistent hitting has also led to more run production and more run support for the pitchers. Through 22 games last season, the Pirates offense was averaging just 3.86 runs per game. However, fast-forward to 2021, and the offense has been much more productive averaging just over four runs per game so far this season. It isn't a huge jump, but it is making a big difference in terms of the record.
The hitting has been boosted by some bounce-back performances from some key guys as well. Last season Bryan Reynolds (.189), Adam Frazier (.230), and Colin Moran (.247) all performed well below average for their career numbers. However, all three players have bounced back and are now some of the hottest hitters on the team. Reynolds has made the biggest turnaround of any of the three players, and is currently hitting .304 with two home runs and 11 RBI, and is coming off of a big game in the series finale against the Twins. After hitting over .300 at every level of professional baseball, last year could be chalked up to extenuating circumstances. Not only was the pandemic raging, but Reynolds was a new dad and had to worry about the safety of his wife and child first. However, with all of that behind him, he has focused on his game again and the results of that focus are showing.
Adam Frazier's turnaround has given the Pirates that exciting leadoff hitter that they didn't have last season. Kevin Newman and Cole Tucker split the duties last season and didn't perform very well. However, Frazier has seemingly found a home at the top of the lineup, hitting .310 with 10 RBI in 84 at-bats. He has been a spark plug at the top of the Pirate's batting order and has registered nine multi-hit games this season. He has been setting the table nicely for guys like Reynolds and Moran in the middle of the order, which has helped lead to more run support for the Pirates pitchers this season. The one driving in Frazier has been Moran, whose new approach is working wonders. His average has dropped off a little as of late, but he is still managing to hit .266 with four home runs and 16 RBI in 79 at-bats. He leads the Pirates in both home runs and RBI this season and is proving that he can handle the role of clean-up hitter for the Pirates moving forward.
Starters Working Deeper Into Games
One of the biggest problems facing the 2020 Pittsburgh Pirates was the fact that their starters were not working deep into games. Last season, the Pirates starters averaged just 4.0 innings per start, leaving the bullpen highly taxed. Whether it was because of a shortened Spring Training, or the fact they just couldn't find their groove, it was hurting the team immensely. With things back to normal in 2021, it seems as though the staff has begun to turn things around, with all five Pirates starters working deeper into games. Through four turns through the rotation, three of the five Pirates starters have worked into the sixth inning, with two doing it multiple times. The two clear leaders of the staff have been Tyler Anderson and JT Brubaker, and the rest of the rotation has fed off their energy.
If it wasn't for a near no-hitter by J.A. Happ on Friday, Brubaker could easily be a perfect 3-0 right now. Still, the 27-year-old is having a monster start to his second year in the Big Leagues, going 2-1 with a 2.01 ERA over his first four starts of the season, three of which being on the road. Brubaker has been one of the great surprises in the early part of the 2021 season as he has almost been untouchable on the mound. He has an opponent batting average of just .198 this season and has struck out 23 while walking just five in 22.1 innings. His last time out against the Twins was the best start of the season for him despite the loss. He lasted a season-high seven innings while giving up two earned runs on five hits and striking out five.
While Brubaker is shining on the mound, veteran Tyler Anderson is quietly having a consistent season. In his four starts, he is 2-2 with a 3.92 ERA over 20.2 innings of work in his first season with the Pirates. He has gone at least five innings in every one of his starts this season and has yet to allow more than three earned runs in a game. This has been Anderson's forte over the course of his career, and it is exactly what the Pirates brought him in to do. He goes out every five days and consistently gives the team a chance to win ball games. While he will probably get flipped at the trade deadline, he has been a fun arm to watch on the mound this season. With the pitching and hitting trending in the right direction early in the season, this team has been exciting to watch. We will now see if they can keep the success going while they continue to build towards the future of this team.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (11-11) have an off day on Monday, but return to action for a short two-game series on Tuesday when they host the Kansas City Royals (13-7) at 6:35 pm. Tyler Anderson (2-2, 3.92) takes the hill looking to continue to hold opponents to three runs or less when he takes on Jakob Junis (1-0, 3.71) for the Royals. You can watch the game on AT&T Sportsnet, listen on 93.7 The Fan, or follow along with us on Twitter at @Buccos_Cove.
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