The Pittsburgh Pirates were 41-49 headed into the All-Star Break, and in a vacuum, that would seem to be improvement. They’re on pace for an 11-game improvement over last year’s record.
However, context is key.
The improvement starts to give way to stagnation when you pull back the curtain of just exactly how they got there.
After a 20-8 start made them owners of the best record in the National League, they have gone 21-41. They’ve had many significant injuries. Losing J.T Brubaker, Oneil Cruz, Vince Velasquez, Mike Burrows, Jarlin Garcia, Wil Crowe and the recently returning Ji-Man Choi all to long-term injuries.