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MLB Breakdown #2: Weekend Series Sweep Powered by Reynolds and Polanco

The pair of former Tribe outfielders combined for six extra-base hits and 11 RBI vs. Milwaukee
OF Bryan Reynolds hit a solo home run in Pittsburgh's 7-2 win over Milwaukee on Aug. 21. (Photo from Pittsburgh Pirates)
August 24, 2020

The weekend series between Pittsburgh and Milwaukee provided a glimpse of a booming Pirates offense that outscored its National League Central foe, 24-11, for a three-game sweep.

The weekend series between Pittsburgh and Milwaukee provided a glimpse of a booming Pirates offense that outscored its National League Central foe, 24-11, for a three-game sweep.

Outfielders Bryan Reynolds and Gregory Polanco, who both saw time with Indianapolis last summer, have been at the heart of the latest offensive burst, adding onto the team foundation Colin Moran and Erik Gonzalez built in the first few weeks of the season.

OF Bryan Reynolds

Reynolds kept the momentum going in the Pirates 7-2 defeat over the Brewers on Aug. 21 with his offense and defense. The left fielder laid out to rob Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich of a hit to start the fourth inning with the game tied at 1-1, courtesy of Reynolds’ solo homer in the second. In the bottom half of the fourth his RBI single put the Pirates up 2-1, a lead they would build on and not relinquish. Reynolds was short of a double to complete the cycle after he ripped a two-run triple in the eighth.

The weekend series showed the consistency that Reynolds was known for as a prospect. During each of his four seasons in the minor leagues, two of which came in the Giants organization before being dealt to Pittsburgh in exchange for Andrew McCutchen prior to the 2018 season, the 25-year-old finished above .300.

2020 was a slow start for Reynolds, who went 0-for-13 in the first four games of the season before going 2-for-4 with a double vs. Milwaukee on July 28. Heading into this latest series vs. the Brewers, Reynolds was sporting a .174 average and was 2-for-23 in his last seven games.

His average improved to .220 after he went 6-for-13 with three extra-base hits and six RBI over the weekend.

Reynolds is one of the many young players to get their chance in the big leagues this year for the Pirates. He made his debut last season and impressed with a .314 average that landed him in the top 10 in Major League Baseball for batting average and fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

OF Gregory Polanco

Polanco’s go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning on Aug. 23 sealed the Pirates’ first series sweep of the season. It capped off Polanco’s red-hot weekend as he went 5-for-10 with two walks, three extra-base hits and five RBI.

The Dominican Republic native established both a season-high three-game hit streak and his first multi-hit game over the weekend.

Polanco showed an upward trend to his approach at the plate during the weekend series after his batting average dipped to .070 (3-for-43) on Aug. 19. After going 1-for-4 in the first game vs. the Brewers, Polanco got on base in six of his eight trips to the plate the next two games.