The Pirates fell to the Rangers 6-2 on June 21, 2025, as Jacob deGrom's dominance overshadowed a 3-hit night from Joey Bart. Recap the ace's masterclass.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Another night at PNC Park, another tough pill to swallow. The Pittsburgh Pirates fell to the Texas Rangers 6-2, largely thanks to a vintage performance from Jacob deGrom. While the Bucs showed a flicker of life with a fourth-inning rally, the Rangers' ace slammed the door, leaving the home team to ponder what might have been and dropping their record to a frustrating 30-46.
Catcher Joey Bart was a lone bright spot in the loss, going 3-for-4 with a pair of singles and a double.
When Jacob deGrom is on the mound, you know runs will be at a premium, and Saturday was no exception. The Rangers' ace was simply electric, retiring the first 11 Pirates he faced and racking up seven strikeouts over six masterful innings. The Pirates' only real shot came in the fourth. Down 3-0, they managed to load the bases and push across two runs, briefly injecting hope into the ballpark. But with the tying run on third, deGrom did what aces do: he buckled down and struck out Alexander Canario to extinguish the threat. It was the turning point of the game, a masterclass in shutting down a rally.
On the other side of the pitching matchup, rookie Mike Burrows experienced some growing pains. The right-hander battled through 4⅓ innings but was tagged for four runs on seven hits, including long balls to Corey Seager and Adolis Garcia. While Burrows has shown flashes of his potential this season, this outing was a reminder that developing at the major league level is a tough business. He falls to 1-2 on the year, and the Pirates will be looking for more length and consistency from him in his next start.
While the big-league club struggles, there's plenty of excitement brewing in the minors. Top prospect Bubba Griffin continues to turn heads with his incredible athleticism and versatility. Splitting time between shortstop and center field, Griffin is showcasing elite defensive range. The organization is high on his developing bat, seeing him as a key piece of a future lineup built around team offense to support the club's well-regarded pitching pipeline.
The Pirates will try to salvage a game in the series on Saturday, sending Mitch Keller to the mound. It's a critical start for Keller, who is desperately seeking his second win of the season (1-9, 4.08 ERA). He'll face Rangers rookie Kumar Rocker (2-4, 7.31 ERA) in a matchup of two pitchers looking to find their footing. A strong outing from Keller could be the catalyst this team needs to snap its skid and build some positive momentum.
