When it comes to the standings on the first day of the second half, what you see is *mostly* what you get.
The Pirates’ struggles this year might have more to do with the entire rest of the league than Pittsburgh’s pitchers themselves.
The Mets face the World Series champs again, but their starter gets knocked out by a line drive in the first. Meanwhile, Belt whiffs against a position player pitching, and an inside-the-parker that technically wasn’t.
Zach Eflin and Jaimeson Taillon’s stories began this month, and we all fill in the plots.
It’s time for another installment of Would This Work?, the game show that we just made up today.
Justin Morneau returns to the AL Central and Ike Davis returns to New York.
The teams that are doing things radically different than last year, and whether they mean anything.
The Pirates’ fine season might get finer. Do two pitching phenoms make for a climactic Act III?
Atlana has odd timing in firing Fredi Gonzalez, Francisco Cervelli shows how much he loves Pittsburgh, and Tony Kemp arrives in Houston.
Is Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati turning into a turf war, on a global scale? We’d rather hear both sides of the tale.
So Strasburg is off the market. A couple of the best framers in baseball aren’t, and they’re not looking for seven years, either.
A darned impressive sweep in Pittsburgh for Maddon’s team, while the Mariners get a sweep of their own and Kluber continues to torment Detroit .
Or maybe he just ran into the Braves at the right time. Plus: Yay Rich Hill, Yay Andrew McCutchen, yay Billy Hamilton.
The Juan Nicasio bubble popped, for one day at least. Meanwhile, Noah Syndergaard keeps getting better, and the Red Sox blow another lead.
The newest Pittsburgh starter had a tremendous first start, but Ray Searage and the Pirates can’t declare victory yet.
Pittsburgh Pirates