Series preview: Can the Pirates get back on track against MLB-best Giants?

Pittsburgh Pirates (36-60) vs. San Francisco Giants (61-35), July 23-25, 2021

Location: Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA

TV: AT&T Sports Pittsburgh

Radio: KDKA-AM

Giants SB Nation Site: McCovey Chronicles

After their thrilling series in May, the Pirates head out to the Bay to settle the score with the Giants.

Here’s a look at what we can expect this weekend:

Projected Starters

Friday, 9:45 p.m. EST

Chad Kuhl (3-5, 4.31 ERA) vs. Johnny Cueto (6-5, 4.01 ERA)

Saturday, 9:05 p.m. EST

Wil Crowe (1-5, 6.12 ERA) vs. Kevin Gausman (9-3, 1.84 ERA)

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST

JT Brubaker (4-9, 4.68 ERA) vs. Alex Wood (8-3, 3.77 ERA)

Pirates

1. Adam Frazier (2B)
2. Ke’Bryan Hayes (3B)
3. Bryan Reynolds (CF)
4. Ben Gamel (LF)
5. John Nogowski (1B)
6. Jacob Stallings (C)
7. Gregory Polanco (RF)
8. Kevin Newman (SS)
9. Starting Pitcher

Giants

1. LaMonte Wade (1B)
2. Buster Posey (C)
3. Mike Yastrzemski (RF)
4. Wilmer Flores (3B)
5. Alex Dickerson (LF)
6. Donovan Solano (2B)
7. Stephen Duggar (CF)
8. Thairo Estrada (SS)
9. Starting Pitcher

The Giants are coming off two straight ninth-inning comebacks against the Dodgers on the road, which helped them reclaim the league’s best record.

Meanwhile, the Pirates are coming off a series in which they were swept by the worst team in the league in the Arizona Diamondbacks.

However, when these two teams met in May, the Pirates gave them a good series back in Pittsburgh, splitting a four-game set in an entertaining series.

The Pirates have a tendency to play up and down to their competition, having won a series against the division-leading Mets last weekend, so maybe we’ll see something similar here.

It will be difficult though as the Pirates will face the top arms in the Giants rotation in Cueto, Gausman and Wood.

San Francisco has one talented baseball team and it should be fun to see our Buccos give it a go this weekend.