The Pirates were swept by the White Sox, losing 10-1 on July 20, 2025. Despite a Bryan Reynolds homer, Andrew Heaney struggled. Is patience the right call?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Another Sunday at PNC Park, another lopsided loss. The Pittsburgh Pirates concluded a miserable weekend by getting trounced 10-1 by the Chicago White Sox, completing a three-game sweep that felt as deflating as the scoreline suggests. The loss, their third straight, drops the Bucs to a grim 39-61 on the season, leaving fans to wonder where the bright spots are in a season increasingly defined by growing pains.
We have to stay patient and trust our process. The young guys are getting valuable experience, and that's going to pay off.
The series finale was all but over by the fifth inning. Starter Andrew Heaney couldn't find his footing, getting tagged for six runs in just 4.1 innings and seeing his record fall to 4-9. The knockout blow came from a bases-clearing double by White Sox second baseman Lenyn Sosa, who tormented Pirates pitching all afternoon. Offensively, the Pirates were silent. Bryan Reynolds provided the only spark with a solo home run in the third, but the team managed just five hits in total. It was a listless performance that offered little resistance as the White Sox cruised to victory.
If fans were hoping the sweep would trigger some immediate changes, they were left wanting. Both General Manager Ben Cherington and Manager Don Kelly addressed the media postgame, sticking to a familiar script: this is all part of the long-term plan. No roster moves are imminent, and the focus remains on giving young players like Nick Gonzales and Mike Burrows extended looks. Kelly's message was clear – the wins and losses today are secondary to the experience gained. It's a tough pill to swallow after a 10-1 loss, but it's the consistent message from the front office.
While the major league club struggles, the organization is banking on its farm system to change the narrative. The Pirates recently finalized their 2025 draft class, and the theme was clear: power. The headliner is LSU first baseman Jared Jones, a 6'4" slugger who mashed 64 home runs in his college career. With 21 picks in total, including promising middle infielders Matt King and Dylan Palmer, the front office is clearly trying to inject a different type of profile into the system. The hope is that players like Jones will eventually provide the middle-of-the-order thump that the current big-league roster so desperately lacks.
It's a familiar feeling for Pirates fans: enduring a painful present while being sold on a brighter future. The gap between the team on the field today and the vision for tomorrow feels immense after a weekend like this. As the team looks ahead, the question remains how much more 'valuable experience' the young core needs before it starts translating into wins. For now, the process continues, and so does the wait.
