The Pittsburgh Pirates‘ 2026 season will most likely come to an end soon. The team has just 12 games left and sits 6.5 back of the final NL Wild Card spot. Unfortunately, the main goal now seems to be finding a way to stay at or above .500. The remaining schedule is relatively favorable, aside from the upcoming three-game stint with the Milwaukee Brewers. There is a potential lockout looming, so no one is quite sure when the the 2027 season will begin. The Pirates are going to look to finish the campaign strong to carry some momentum into the offseason.
It is going to be difficult to get this final stretch off to a good start. The Brewers will trot out Jacob Misiorowski, who is expected to be the NL Cy Young. The pitcher threw 6.0 innings and allowed three earned runs in his April outing versus Pittsburgh. He had nine strikeouts in the contest.
For the Pirates, it will be a pitch-by-committee approach. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette‘s Colin Beazley reported on Monday afternoon that reliever Lake Bachar will get the nod. He will be the first to have the task of going head-to-head with one of the MLB’s best pitchers.
“The Pirates will start Lake Bachar tomorrow against Jacob Misiorowski and the Brewers,” Beazley reported. “Opener of a three-game series and a nine-game homestand.”
This isn’t exactly ideal for the Pirates. Bachar has been good since he was acquired in early August; however, planning on using five or six arms isn’t a foolproof strategy with Misiorowski on the mound for Milwaukee.
If the Pirates end up pitching poorly early on, the Brewers will smell blood in the water. When Milwaukee has its ace on the mound, typically the lineup only needs to scratch and claw to get a couple of runs.
Pirates’ Bachar Has Some Experience Versus Milwaukee This Year
Bachar has pitched in 10 games since his arrival, and it’s safe to say he has made an impact. His 2.61 ERA since the trade is extremely impressive. His first appearance as a Bucco actually took place against the Brewers. He threw 2.0 innings and allowed two hits as well as an earned run. When he was with the Miami Marlins and taking on Milwaukee back in an April outing, he chucked 2.1 innings of scoreless ball.
Pirates Need A Miracle To Make The Postseason In 2026
The odds are certainly working against Pittsburgh. Being nearly seven games back with 12 to go means almost everything would have to go perfectly for the Pirates to miraculously make the playoffs. Overall, going undefeated — while extremely unlikely — may be the only avenue for Don Kelly’s group. That’s why it is so unfortunate that Misiorowski will be on the mound while Pittsburgh goes with the opener in Bachar.
The team will think back to a slow month of August as one of the major reasons for the unfortunate late-season slide. There are plenty of players under contract for 2027, so fans will hope that there isn’t some type of stoppage due to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Pirates Facing Scary Pitching Matchup Vs. Brewers On Tuesday