Pirates hope struggles vs. southpaws don’t carry into next season

The Pittsburgh Pirates fell 5-1 to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, snapping a five-game winning streak. Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore limited Pittsburgh to six hits and one run across 5 2/3 innings, concluding what appears to be the Pirates' final matchup against a southpaw starter in 2026. Brandon Lowe hit a solo home run in the second inning for Pittsburgh's lone run.

Pittsburgh finished with an 18-33 record, a .229 batting average, and 3.82 runs per game against left-handed starters this season. Manager Don Kelly acknowledged the team's persistent issues against lefties, even as the offense set a franchise single-season record with 182 home runs.