The Pirates have lost eight of their last 10 and are 31 games under .500 at 49-80.
Pittsburgh is in the basement of a poor NL Central, fading faster than the rebuilding Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds.
In a division where it was clear the Cubs and Reds were going to struggle, the Pirates had a shot at claiming third behind St. Louis and now slumping Milwaukee. Instead, they’re 2.5 games out of fourth and 5.5 back of third.
Derek Shelton’s squad lost seven games in a row, including a three-game sweep against the Braves Atlanta at PNC Park, failing to make necessary adjustments to change the trajectory.