Game Thread: Pirates Look To Get Back On Track At Home

The Pirates will kick off their final homestand before the July 31 trade deadline Friday night against the Phillies.

With a record of 45-50, the Pirates entered today 6.5 games behind the division and 4.5 games out of a wild card, though there are plenty of teams they will have to leapfrog to get into either playoff spot. One of those teams they would need to pass are the Phillies, who are 50-47 and a half game out of a wild card, though they have been stuck in neutral for the better part of two months. On May 29, they were 33-22 and boasted the second best record in the NL. Since then, they are 17-35.

Friday’s starter Jordan Lyles (5-6, 5.16) has been downright bad since returning off the IL with a hamstring injury, taking the loss in all three of his starts, allowing 17 earned runs in 10.2 innings pitched. The worst of those outings came in his most recent outing on July 13, getting chased in the first in Chicago.

The Phillies will send Jake Arieta (8-7, 4.54) to the hill. Arieta and the Pirates obviously have history, and the right-hander has continued to be a thorn in their side. He burned the Pirates twice last year, tossing a pair of seven inning gems to pick up two wins.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m..

Lineups

Phillies

CF Scott Kingery

SS Jean Segura

RF Bryce Harper

1B Rhys Hoskins

C J.T. Realmuto

2B Cesar Hernandez

3B Maikel Franco

LF Adam Haseley

P Jake Arrieta

Pirates

2B Adam Frazier

RF Bryan Reynolds

CF Starling Marte

1B Josh Bell

3B Colin Moran

LF Corey Dickerson

SS Kevin Newman

C Elias Diaz

P Jordan Lyles