Pirates Identified As Candidate To End Dodgers' Three-Peat Bid
An ESPN analyst made the case for the Pittsburgh Pirates eliminating the Los Angeles Dodgers this postseason.
Pirates Identified As Candidate To End Dodgers' Three-Peat Bid originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh . Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here . An MLB writer posed a scenario in which the Pittsburgh Pirates snap an 11-year playoff drought and send the reigning champions packing.
Six ESPN analysts each picked a team capable of defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the postseason. David Schoenfield presented an argument for Pittsburgh pulling off an epic October triumph. "This is admittedly a long shot," Schoenfield wrote.
"After all, the Pirates will have to battle just to make the playoffs in the suddenly demanding NL Central. But keep in mind that the best time to knock off the Dodgers will be the division series. That's when they lost in 2019, 2022 and 2023 -- despite winning 106, 111 and 100 games those seasons.
And if the Pirates play the Dodgers in the NLDS, Paul Skenes will likely start two of the five games -- and that gives Pittsburgh a chance. " Schoenfield noted that Pittsburgh's rotation isn't a one-man show. The Pirates have also enjoyed superb early returns from Mitch Keller and Braxton Ashcraft, and Bubba Chandler could become "a big-time force" if he harnesses the strike zone.