The Pirates and the rest of their Major League Baseball brethren have another day off today as the All-Star break winds down. The Bucs will open a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants tomorrow night at PNC Park, and with a record of 41-49, they are in fourth place in the National League Central Division, eight-and-a-half games behind the first place Reds.
Baseball’s best team so far this season is National League-leading Atlanta, at 60-29, while the Tampa Bay Rays lead the American League at 58-35. Besides the Braves in the East and the Reds in the Central, the National League’s other division leaders are the Dodgers and Diamondbacks who are tied for first in the West. The AL’s other division leaders in addition to the Rays in the East are the Rangers in the West and the Guardians in the Central, who are on top of the division despite a record of just 45-45.
Meanwhile, the task for Pirates general manager Ben Cherington is to get top overall draft pick Paul Skenes signed and into the Pirates’ system. MLB rules require the team to sign him by July 25th or lose his rights, and get a compensatory pick in next year’s draft.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton has not announced his pitching rotation for this weekend’s games.
While the Major League and Minor League baseball fields were quiet yesterday, MLB did make a little news, announcing that next season will start with a two-game series between the Dodgers and Padres, March 20th and 21st in South Korea. There are three international series on next year’s schedule. The Astros and Rockies will play in Mexico City in April and the Mets and Phillies will meet in London in June.
