The biggest Reds/Pirates series since who knows when

TL;DR

The Cincinnati Reds face the Pittsburgh Pirates in a crucial weekend series, marking a significant moment in the National League Central. The Pirates are showing promise this season, while the Reds will avoid facing star pitcher Paul Skenes.

Key points

Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates are facing off in a key series.
The series could impact the National League Central standings.
Mitch Keller and Brady Singer are the starting pitchers for the opener.
Pittsburgh is showing signs of improvement this season.
The game will be broadcast on Apple TV.

Cincinnati RedsPittsburgh PiratesSt. Louis Cardinals

Aug 24, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame class inductees Jim Leyland and Barry Bonds sit in the dugout at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds are upriver in Pittsburgh on Friday to begin a weekend series against the Pirates. A Reds/Pirates series – starting on the first of May – and yet somehow, it feels like must-watch television. That’s a bummer for a lot of you, since tonight’s game is going to be broadcast quite poorly on Apple TV. For those who do find a way to track it down and experience it, though, this game is going to have more on the line in the National League Central than it has in quite some time. Cincinnati will luckly dodge Paul Skenes in this series, as he pitched just yesterday in the team’s 10-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in that series finale. That dropped the Bucs to 16-16 on the season, but they are still a team that very much looks to be eschewing their decade-long reputation as perennial bottom feeders after several of their key players have begun to emerge. is knocking the crud out of the ball, finally. has hit the ground running as a rare legitimate free agent signee. has made Pittsburgh’s decision to trade for him this offseason look incredibly prescient, and we haven’t even mentioned that Konnor Griffin has been promoted (and given a massive extension) to help officially move the franchise forward to the next phase of their arduous rebuild. As a team, Pittsburgh boasts a .317 wOBA, good for a middle-of-the-pack 17th overall. That’s ahead of Cincinnati’s .314 by a hair, even though xwOBA thinks the Reds *should* have a much better offense than the Pirates so far. Pittsburgh’s 3.82 ERA (8th) and 3.73 xERA (t-5th) show it’s their pitching staff on which they’ve truly been leaning so far, though again, the Reds will miss Skenes this series. Righty Mitch Keller gets the starting nod tonight in the series opener opposite Reds righty . First pitch (on Apple TV, sadly) is slated for 6:45 PM ET. Here’s how the Reds will line up for the opener:

Q&A

What is the significance of the Reds/Pirates series in May 2024?

This series is important as it could impact standings in the National League Central, highlighting both teams' competitive performance this season.

Who are the starting pitchers for the Reds vs. Pirates game on May 1, 2024?

Mitch Keller will start for the Pirates, while Brady Singer is set to pitch for the Reds in the series opener.

How have the Pittsburgh Pirates improved this season?

The Pirates have shown improvement with key players like Oneil Cruz and Ryan O'Hearn performing well, moving away from their previous reputation as bottom feeders.