Column | Red-hot Pittsburgh Pirates pitchers will bring “Buctober” back to the Steel City

Pittsburgh has been absent from postseason baseball for a while now. But with its starting pitchers, the three-headed monster of Paul Skenes, Jared Jones and Mitch Keller, the Pittsburgh Pirates seem destined to return to “Buctober.” 

One could argue that the Pirates might even have a four-headed monster with how Bailey Falter has pitched thus far in 2024. 

Skenes 

After he dominated in the Minor League for a few months, right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes has played like the No. 1 overall pick he was. 

His first start wasn’t the greatest appearance, but it was good enough for Pirates fans to believe in his future. Skenes finished the game with seven strikeouts in his four-plus innings pitched.  

Skenes showed flashed star potential in historic Wrigley Field during his second major league start. He struck out the first seven Chicago Cubs he faced, continuing his dominance by striking out five more batters — while not allowing a single hit in his six innings of work. 

In Skenes’ third start against the San Francisco Giants, he wasn’t as dominant as he was in Chicago. He only fanned three Giants and allowed six hits. Despite the LSU and Air Force product not having the same dominance, he allowed only one run in his most recent mid-day appearance at PNC Park.

Jones 

Right-handed pitcher Jared Jones wasn’t hyped up like Skenes but has produced at the same level. Before the season, Jones wasn’t on many Pirates fan’s radars as a potential factor in the Pirates’ success, but has helped earn the Buccos a multitude of accomplishments in 2024.

On the year, Jones has a 3-4 record, a 3.05 ERA and 68 strikeouts. 

Jones’ key to success in 2024 is pounding the strike zone. This attack was obvious in his appearance in Chicago, where he didn’t have a single count against a batter that tallied more than two balls. 

Keller 

Right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller had a rough start to the 2024 season, getting hit around a ton in his first few starts. The Pirates needed him to figure it out after paying him $77 million in the offseason — a sum unfamiliar to the Pittsburgh organization.

Since then, he has played stellar baseball. In the month of May, Keller won every single one of his four starts.

Most recently, against the Atlanta Braves, with one of the best lineups in baseball, Keller threw 6.2 innings of one-run baseball. Earlier in May against the Los Angeles Angels, Keller threw a complete game of one-run baseball. 

These impressive starts have helped Keller’s numbers look more respectable. On the season, Keller has a 6-3 record, 3.59 ERA and 58 strikeouts.

Falter

In my opinion, the Pirates have four nasty pitchers, including left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter. 

I see why some people may not think the same when they watch Falter pitch. He most commonly throws a fastball that tops out at 95 mph, which often produces flyballs that go in the outfield.

Although a 95 mph fastball and tons of flyballs instead of strikeouts isn’t the greatest, Falter still produces outs — and does it efficiently. 

In Falters’ last two appearances against the Braves and the Cubs, he has pitched gems. In the two starts, he threw 15 innings and allowed nine hits and only three runs.

Whether he is a part of the monster or not, Falter has impressed in the 2024 season. Thus far, the trade acquisition from the Philadelphia Phillies has a record of 3-2, 3.55 ERA and 33 strikeouts.

Can the Pirates turn the season around?

In 2024, the Pirates yet again sit below .500, but something tells me that things may turn around for the better. 

A team with four effective starting pitchers has a chance to make the postseason. I firmly believe that with the Pirates’ four-headed monster, Pittsburgh will make its first postseason since 2015, and Buctober will return.