Pirates vs Dodgers: 3 Keys for Pittsburgh to Shock the World Champions
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are riding high after a strong homestand, but now face their toughest test yet: a weekend series against the two-time reigning World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, at Dodger Stadium from Aug. 21-23. This kicks off a nine-game road trip to close out the month.
The Dodgers are 77-51, sitting comfortably atop the NL West and primed for another deep postseason run. The Pirates come in as clear underdogs, but that doesn't mean they can't steal this series. Here are the three keys to making it happen.
Can the Pirates Crack Left-Handed Pitching?
The Pirates have struggled all season against left-handed starters, a glaring weakness in their lineup. They'll face two of the best in the business: newly acquired Tarik Skubal on Aug. 22 and Blake Snell in the series finale on Aug. 23.
Skubal is a two-time AL Cy Young Award winner, traded from Detroit at the deadline. He's 0-2 in three starts with LA, but he's still one of baseball's elite arms. Snell, also a two-time Cy Young winner (2018, 2023), is in his 11th season chasing a third straight ring with the Dodgers.
Both pitchers have battled injuries, with Snell making just three starts and Skubal 19, both dealing with loose bodies in their left elbows. The Pirates are a dismal 12-27 against lefty starters this season, and 4-10 since the All-Star break.
There's hope, though. Pittsburgh beat two Boston lefties and got four runs off Tigers southpaw Framber Valdez on Aug. 17, knocking him out before the sixth inning. The lineup showed real improvement during the homestand, and they'll need every bit of it here.
Pirates Starting Pitching Must Deliver
The Pirates' rotation has been sharper lately, and they need that to continue against the Dodgers' powerhouse lineup. Bubba Chandler starts the opener on Aug. 21, followed by Jared Jones, with a TBA for the finale.
Chandler has been outstanding since the break: 3-0 in five starts, a 2.33 ERA over 27 innings, 23 strikeouts against nine walks, a .206 BAA and a 1.07 WHIP. Jones bounced back from a rough start to August, allowing just one run over five innings against Boston on Aug. 15, working out of jams and trusting his stuff.
The series finale will likely be a bullpen game. How they use Carmen Mlodzinski could decide it. He's lost all three of his starts with a 14.04 ERA, so Pittsburgh would be wiser to use him in a bulk role rather than as the opener.
All three pitchers face a massive challenge. If they bring their best, they give a strong bullpen a real shot at closing out wins.
Keep the Power Show Rolling
The Pirates are a much better offensive team in 2026, and power is a big reason they're still in the postseason hunt. They've hit 155 home runs, ninth-most in baseball and sixth in the NL, including 84 at PNC Park, a new single-season record.
In their two wins over Detroit, they launched four big homers. Oneil Cruz hit a two-run shot in the fifth to give them a 2-1 lead in a 4-1 victory. Rafael Flores Jr. sparked a comeback in the finale with solo homers in the seventh and ninth, tying it before Brandon Lowe walked it off with a homer of his own, 4-3.
Cruz's homer was his first since returning from a left hand fracture that sidelined him two months, and it showcased his elite exit velocity. Flores became the first player in Pirates history to hit two homers off the bench in one game, giving him five in seven games as a rookie. Lowe is the team's most reliable power bat with 27 homers on the year.
Other threats like Bryan Reynolds, rookie Esmerlyn Valdez and Spencer Horwitz haven't gone deep in August. If Pittsburgh can get the long ball going, it will ignite their offense and give them a fighting chance against LA's strong staff.
It won't be easy, but the Pirates have the tools to pull off an upset. It all comes down to execution.
