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The Pirates rebuilt their bullpen at the trade deadline, but they did not add another bat. Now a lineup that entered Tuesday ranked 26th in MLB with a .644 OPS since the All-Star break has to prove it can lead Pittsburgh through the postseason race.
Alex Stumpf breaks down Esmerlyn Valdez’s recent struggles and passive approach, the pressure on Bryan Reynolds, the potential impact of Oneil Cruz’s eventual return and why the offense becomes even more important with Mitch Keller sidelined and questions surrounding the starting rotation.
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"Pirates Didn’t Add a Bat. Now the Offense Has to Deliver" is an episode of North Shore Nine: A Pittsburgh Pirates Podcast. Runtime 15 min. Published August 5, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.
