Jun 28, 2016 4 min read

What in the name of Branch Rickey is going on with the Pirates?

Most believed this team was talented enough heading into the season to challenge the Chicago Cubs for the NL Central Division. But heading into last night’s game against the Seattle Mariners, the Pirates were 13 games behind the first-place Cubs. Worse, five teams were ahead of them in the chase for the two wild card spots.

June has been a month of horrors and horrible performances as the Pirates twice lost five in a row and, with two games remaining, had an 8-18 record.

Is there any hope of catching the Cubs? Not without a wave of injuries in Chicago.

Most teams are in the wild card race until the final two weeks of the season, so there’s no reason to panic, yet. What do the Pirates need to do to right the ship? Here are a few suggestions.

1. Fix Andrew McCutchen

Whether it’s been a bad thumb or the adjustment of hitting second for much of the season, McCutchen is still the key to any second-half run for the Pirates. McCutchen has been awful so far, hitting .243, 51 points below his career average, and looks lost at times at the plate.

In his last 30 games, McCutchen has hit .219 and struck out 35 times in 114 at-bats. His strikeouts have risen each of the last three seasons while his average has fallen.

There have been concerns about McCutchen’s thumb injury, but he brushes away any notion that it is having a major impact on his poor showing. Well then, what is? If the thumb is hurt, then the Pirates should give it time to heal.

If hitting second is making McCutchen uncomfortable, keep him at No. 3, where his talents are more suited.

And the notion of trading him should be quashed.

2. Trade Francisco Liriano

Easily the biggest disappointment on the Pirates’ starting staff, Liriano is no longer an effective No. 2 starter. The 32-year-old left hander leads the league in walks with 54 in 82 2/3 innings. His ERA of 5.33 is sixth-worst in the league. And according to the webpage Fansided, he has a 7.22 ERA in innings four through six this season.

He is no longer dependable as a No. 2 starter and it would be difficult to slide him down without disruption. So the best option is to trade him at or near the deadline.

Liriano has a year remaining on his contract at $13.6 million, but he is pitching more like someone worth just half that. If the Pirates can’t count on Liriano holding down the No. 2 starter role, pitching effectively under pressure, his value plummets. There is no reason to keep him under those circumstances.

3. Fix the bullpen

The Pirates’ bullpen has been a mess, at least the front end.

Arquimedes Caminero is a head case, Jared Hughes is having the worst season of his career and Juan Nicasio is falling apart after a strong showing in the spring. That meant middle innings relief work fell to the likes of AJ Schugel, Kyle Lobstein and Rob Scahill.

The back end of the bullpen is strong with Tony Watson, Neftali Feliz and Mark Melancon. Feliz is intriguing, having been a stopper for the Texas Rangers early in his career. He also could be trade bait at the deadline or moved into the closer’s role if the Pirates trade Melancon, who will be a free agent at the end of the season.

The return from one of these deals could be a middle reliever.

Asssistant sports editor Joe Tuscano can be reached at jtuscano@observer-reporter.com