The Pirates Took the Bat Out of Their Hottest Hitter’s Hands

The Pirates dropped a frustrating one to the Nationals, but the biggest talking point wasn’t just Mitch Keller’s rough start. It was the late-game decision to pinch hit for Brandon Lowe, who has been one of Pittsburgh’s hottest bats and already homered earlier in the game. In this episode of OffBeat, Alex Stumpf breaks down why that moment stood out, what Lowe has already meant to the Pirates lineup, and how his presence is impacting hitters like Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds. He also explains why Nick Yorke is not the real target of the criticism, even if the move didn’t work out. This is a smart breakdown of lineup trust, matchup decisions, and what “earning respect” should really look like for this Pirates team. Subscribe for more daily Pittsburgh Pirates coverage, analysis, reactions, and insight from Alex Stumpf and North Shore Nine. *Get your tickets to the April 18th game in the NS9 Group: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Northshore9tailgate0418 Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NS9 for 30% off your first order at https://www.gritily.com Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myshopify.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.