The Pittsburgh Pirates are back in town and will be opening a week-long homestand tonight with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Colorado Rockies coming to PNC Park. For some time now, it's been clear that the Pirates won't be making the playoffs this season, but there are still nights when 30,000 fans show up at PNC Park.

As Ben Cherington discussed how the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to manage their starting rotation for the remainder of the season, the general manager interrupted his train of thought to explain an exception.

Skenes last pitched on Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers in one of his poorest starts of the year, lasting just four innings while giving up four earned runs in the Pirates’ 14-0 loss. Granted, the Brewers swept the Pirates as part of their 14-game losing streak that was just broken on Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a promising catcher prospect that they recently moved up in their farm system. The Pirates promoted catcher Axiel Plaz

Andrew McCutchen is as loyal as they come. But even he knows the Pirates are in trouble if they don't spend money.