Pirates vs. Dodgers: 6 pressing questions, starting with the rotation

The Dodgers’ arrival for a three-game series at PNC Park puts a spotlight on a Pirates team that knows it has two gears right now. One is built around capable offense and a starting staff that can be dominant. The other shows up in the margins, when innings get extended, runs are left on the bases, and late-game pitching carries more weight than it should.

Pittsburgh opened the season expecting its rotation to be a cornerstone. In recent weeks, that confidence has been tested. The Pirates’ starters allowed 21 runs on their most recent road trip, a 6.37 ERA. Since May 17, they have allowed 57 earned runs and posted a 4.92 ERA, both bottom-10 marks in MLB. MLB general manager Ben Cherington’s stance, as described in the team’s coverage leading into the series, is that the rotation should be viewed in “ebbs and flows,” not a broken system. Still, the immediate question is whether Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller can regain their sharpness, and whether Jared Jones plus Carmen Mlodzinski or Wilber Dotel can execute the kind of workload plan that keeps Pittsburgh’s weekend approach from collapsing late.

Skenes is the first name on the list because his recent numbers do not match the level Pittsburgh is used to from him. He enters the Dodgers series with a 5.85 ERA and has topped out at 5 1/3 innings in his previous four starts. The coverage also notes that his average four-seam velocity is down 1.1 mph this season, and that both his season ERA (3.09) and a set of expected measures sit closer to the bottom of his past performance than his 2025 form. Cherington’s counter is process and trust. He pointed to the idea that Skenes does not need to throw 100 mph to be effective, and he framed recent changes as something that could be connected to the World Baseball Classic and an adjustment period, rather than a permanent decline.

The lineup question extends beyond pitching and into Pittsburgh’s swing decisions. Oneil Cruz, who is a key part of the Pirates’ identity as a high-upside middle-of-the-order presence, is also part of what the team is watching most closely. The coverage states that Cruz did not start Sunday due to a minor left-hand injury sustained while sliding into home, and that the larger issue is whether the improved plate discipline seen earlier will hold. In a recent 10-game stretch prior to Sunday, Cruz hit.342 with three home runs, 10 RBI, and five stolen bases, while ranking second in MLB in on-base percentage (.510) and walks (12), along with a reduced strikeout rate by about 6%. If that version returns, it gives the Pirates more runway to win even when pitching moments get expensive.

Another theme is Pittsburgh’s ability to score when scoring opportunities arrive. The Pirates are producing enough overall to remain in the conversation offensively, ranking fourth in runs (333) and sixth in OPS (.735). But the team has struggled to convert when runners are in scoring position. In the most recent game referenced before the series, Pittsburgh went 6-for-29 with runners in scoring position against Atlanta and stranded 18. Across the season, the Pirates rank 17th in batting average (.240) and 24th in OPS (.688) in those RBI situations. The manager, Don Kelly, is quoted in the coverage emphasizing the need for better results with runners in scoring position and better conversion of opportunities to score.

The bullpen adds a final layer of urgency. Mlodzinski moving into a relief role is described as a starting point, and Dotel has also been a bright spot, posting a 1.08 ERA in 16 2/3 innings in the period cited. Yet the broader problem remains relief inconsistency: only two MLB teams have more than Pittsburgh’s 14 blown saves, and the Pirates relievers have the fifth-worst ERA (5.06) since April 27. Against an opponent with the Dodgers’ ability to punish mistakes and sustain pressure, this becomes more than a stat line. The question is whether Pittsburgh can turn “internal improvement” and its existing bullpen roles into the kind of steadiness that makes the starters’ job easier and protects games when the offense stalls.

Rounding out the list is Marcell Ozuna, whose situation is as much about expectations as it is about production. The coverage notes that Ozuna is paid $10.5 million this season and enters the Dodgers series with a.193 batting average and a.581 OPS. He had a two-hit game Friday that included a standing ovation, and he publicly expressed confidence in a turnaround. Cherington’s message is that the Pirates still believe Ozuna is a big part of the team, but the roster and lineup construction also create pressure for his at-bats to become impact at-bats. If he does not heat up, Pittsburgh’s confidence will need to come from other bats and from the ability to keep games close enough for that swing to matter.