Pirates’ All-Star pitchers Paul Skenes and Braxton Ashcraft took part in the games’ fanfare and hype in Philadelphia in every aspect other than taking the ball and logging innings. Skenes is normally a headlining star at every event he attends. Ashcraft, with his 9-3 record, was undoubtedly shortlisted as a possible starter for the National League.
He offered a reaction to his All-Star selection that sort of personifies the simmering cauldron of talent and excitement that rose in Pittsburgh through the first half of the season.
“It’s cool to be recognized by your peers and the league, to represent the team in that situation.” Braxton acknowledged, before further adding
“I was supposed to get pregnancy photos with my wife, Cassidy, over the break. I think those will have to wait a little bit.”
The game itself, a fierce display of pitching dominance from a slew of American League studs, served to silence the otherwise rabid, wild, and at times flat-out disrespectful Philly faithful. The Phillies were abundantly represented with three players in the starting lineup, and ace lefty Cristopher Sanchez taking the mound to start the game. Skenes and Ashcraft both watched and took it all in.
The fireworks, a far cry from the exuberant, magical show that Zambelli offers at PNC, did little to ring in the “sestercentennial”, in the city of brotherly love. The celebration of Philadelphia as a powerhouse MLB franchise and a perennial World Series contender is becoming tiresome. In fact, those claims might be slowly shifting across Interstate 76 and the Allegheny River, right into Pittsburgh.
Pirates’ Group Going All-In?
Philly, like most teams whose ownership group has no issue breezing past MLB’s competitive balance tax of $244 million, has historically been a prime destination for big-name free agents. They have bet largely on the sheer power numbers and projections of MLB’s biggest stars. While underperforming isn’t the exact terminology to tag the Phillies roster with, inconsistent is absolutely fair and fitting.
When Kyle Schwarber climbs the annual home run leader list, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper appear stuck in formerly uncharacteristic slumps. From a pitching staff of distinguished and highly respected big leaguers like Wheeler, Nola, and Lazardo, and a backend with shutdown artist Jhoan Duran, the Phillies are once again good, but more than likely, not good enough. They are also not getting any younger.
In Western PA, the Pirates are no longer an anomaly. Their approach, always more conservative, despite having their own cast of flamboyant billionaires among their ownership, finally shifted this past winter to acquire solid, if not superstar, support.
The Pirates also have what will soon become one of the best pitching staffs in MLB, and they should hold that claim for the foreseeable future.
Right now, the Phillies pitchers, like the the Pirates’ staff, are shutdown, strikeout artists, who could benefit from leaning more into their defense.
This luxury isn’t exactly readily available for the Phillies this season though, as they are currently dead last in MLB in defensive runs saved.
Is Mattingly Enough?
Nepotism aside, it is a heartwarming testament to Don Mattingly and his storied career to see him leading a (small) resurgence with the Phillies, but there are simply too many holes across the lineup for them to go deep into October.
The Pirates might be two moves away from closing the wild-card gap and putting the rest of the NL on notice if they are to make the playoffs.
There have been musings about possibly moving a player such as Spencer Horowitz for bullpen help and placing Ryan O’Hearn in a starting role at first base. If a door opens in the sense that the San Diego Padres slide further into a non-competitive abyss, then fireballer closer Mason Miller could be made available as a hired gun at the deadline.
Who Will Want to Face the Bucs?
The Pirates are closer than some care to believe or to state openly. If some chips fall into place and the Bucs fight their way into the playoffs, there won’t be a team in MLB that will wish to face Skenes and Ashcraft in a short elimination series. The pendulum of winning momentum is gradually shifting west in PA, and Pirates fans are in for a fun ride for the remainder of 2026.
