Brandon Lowe’s 10 home runs and.941 OPS have put the Pirates in front offensively as pirates vs giants begins with Pittsburgh bringing a remodeled lineup to San Francisco. The Pirates entered the three-game series after offseason moves helped them get a better early start than the Giants.
Brandon Lowe leads Pittsburgh
Lowe arrived in a three-team trade involving the Pirates, Rays, and Astros, with Mike Burrows going the other way. The second baseman has turned that swap into immediate production, leading Pittsburgh with 10 home runs and a.941 OPS.
That line stands out on a roster that was rebuilt after a seventh consecutive losing season and a 434-598 stretch that was the second-worst in MLB, ahead of only Colorado’s 402-629 mark. Pittsburgh tried to lift the offense by pursuing Kyle Schwarber with a reported 4-year, $125 million offer, then signing Ryan O’Hearn to a 2-year, $29 million deal and Marcell Ozuna to handle designated hitter duties.
Pirates lineup changes
O’Hearn has given the Pirates an.824 OPS, while Bryan Reynolds has played in every game and hit.254/.399/.410. Joey Bart has not matched that pace, sitting at a.619 OPS in 54 plate appearances with 19 strikeouts and 2 walks.
The club also shifted Oneil Cruz from shortstop to center field, and he opened the year with a.773 OPS. Pittsburgh added Konnor Griffin, 20 years old, who was hitting.257/.320/.389 with 2 home runs, 9 walks and 36 strikeouts in his first 125 major league plate appearances.
Giants lineup slump
San Francisco entered the series having lost 8 of 9 and sitting 1-5 in the second month of the season. Through 37 games, the Giants had the worst lineup going in every way, even after saying in the offseason that they believed they had the best lineup the franchise had seen in years.
The matchup also put Pittsburgh’s 3rd-ranked pitching staff, valued at 5.3 fWAR, against a Giants staff ranked 24th at 2.0 fWAR. The Pirates were 10-8 on the road, a steadier start than the Giants had managed while their offense unraveled.
For Pittsburgh, the test is whether the lineup mix that produced Lowe’s power, O’Hearn’s on-base work, and Cruz’s position change can keep carrying a team that spent seven seasons losing. San Francisco needed its offense to stop bleeding fast, because the numbers entering the series already pointed in the wrong direction.
