Blog

Two teams separated by a single game in the standings meet at PNC Park with the NL Wild Card race very much on their minds. Arizona comes in at 55-51, having dropped two straight, while Pittsburgh sits at 54-52 and riding a one-game winning streak after Ryan O’Hearn’s grand slam helped the Pirates avoid a sweep against the Cubs. Both clubs are within striking distance of the postseason, and neither can afford to give ground to the other.

For Arizona, the offensive engine runs through Ketel Marte — 19 home runs, 61 RBI, and 104 hits — and catcher Gabriel Moreno, who is hitting .315 with 7 home runs and 41 RBI. The D-backs have the firepower to put up crooked numbers in a hurry.

Pittsburgh counters with Nick Gonzales, who is hitting .313 with 118 hits and has been one of the more consistent contact hitters in the National League. Jake Mangum adds a .303 average and 19 stolen bases, giving the Pirates a lineup that can manufacture runs even when the long ball isn’t falling. This is a game with real stakes and real talent on both sides.

Arizona Diamondbacks at Pittsburgh Pirates Game Information

Game Date: July 27, 2026
Game Time: 06:40 PM ET
TV Channel: Arizona Diamondbacks, SportsNet Pittsburgh, and MLB.TV – Arizona Diamondbacks
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Live Stream: Fubo (free trial)

Game Preview

Both Arizona and Pittsburgh are chasing the same postseason real estate. The Diamondbacks sit 12 games back in their division, the Pirates 12.5 back in theirs, meaning the wild card is the realistic path for each club. Arizona has gone 6-4 over its last ten games despite the current two-game skid, while Pittsburgh is 5-5 in that same span. A win here matters not just in the standings but as a direct statement in the wild card conversation — these two teams are competing for the same spots, and every game between them carries extra weight.

Pittsburgh Pirates Team Statistics and Rankings

Win-Loss Record: 54-52
Home Record: 28-26
Away Record: 26-26
Division Record: 18-14
Streak: 1 Win streak
Winning Percentage: .509

Arizona Diamondbacks Team Statistics and Rankings

Win-Loss Record: 55-51
Home Record: 31-22
Away Record: 24-29
Division Record: 10-12
Streak: 2 Loss streak
Winning Percentage: .519

Stat Leaders

Pittsburgh Pirates (54-52, #3 in division)

Batting Average Leader: Nick Gonzales, 0.313
RBI Leader: Ryan O’Hearn, 68 RBI
Home Run Leader: Brandon Lowe, 21 HR
Runs Leader: Bryan Reynolds, 72 Runs
Hits Leader: Nick Gonzales, 118 Hits
Stolen Bases Leader: Oneil Cruz, 21 SB
ERA Leader: Evan Sisk, 2.23 ERA
Strikeout Leader: Paul Skenes, 149 K
Wins Leader: Braxton Ashcraft, 10 W
Saves Leader: Gregory Soto, 13 SV

Arizona Diamondbacks (55-51, #2 in division)

Batting Average Leader: Jordan Lawlar, 0.316
RBI Leader: Ketel Marte, 61 RBI
Home Run Leader: Ketel Marte, 19 HR
Runs Leader: Corbin Carroll, 62 Runs
Hits Leader: Ketel Marte, 104 Hits
Stolen Bases Leader: Geraldo Perdomo, 17 SB
ERA Leader: Gerardo Carrillo, 2.25 ERA
Strikeout Leader: Eduardo Rodriguez, 86 K
Wins Leader: Eduardo Rodriguez, 9 W
Saves Leader: Paul Sewald, 24 SV

What to Watch For

Pittsburgh’s injury report has thinned the roster in meaningful ways — Oneil Cruz, Konnor Griffin, Spencer Horwitz, and Endy Rodríguez are all sidelined — but that has opened the door for others to step forward. Esmerlyn Valdez has responded, hitting .293 with 14 home runs and 36 RBI. Jared Triolo, who delivered a run-scoring single in Pittsburgh’s win over the Yankees, is hitting .243 with 19 RBI and has shown he can come through in pressure situations. On the mound, Braxton Ashcraft leads the staff with 10 wins, while Paul Skenes has racked up 149 strikeouts.

Arizona is navigating its own injury challenges, with Jordan Lawlar, Zac Gallen, Michael Soroka, Tommy Troy, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. all on the injured list. That puts more pressure on Nolan Arenado — .243, 14 home runs, 49 RBI — to anchor the lineup alongside Marte and Moreno. Brandon Pfaadt, who threw six solid innings in Arizona’s win over St. Louis, carries a 4.43 ERA and 5 wins into this stretch. Paul Sewald leads the bullpen with 24 saves, giving Arizona a reliable late-game option when the offense does its job.

Pittsburgh Pirates Injury Report

Rafael Flores Jr. – Head (D7) – The Pittsburgh Pirates placed C Rafael Flores on the 7-day injured list.
Evan Sisk – Elbow (D15) – The Pittsburgh Pirates placed LHP Evan Sisk on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow inflammation.
Spencer Horwitz – Hamstring (D10) – The Pittsburgh Pirates placed INF Spencer Horwitz on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain.
Konnor Griffin – Finger (D60) – The Pittsburgh Pirates transferred INF Konnor Griffin from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list with a left-hand ring finger sagittal band injury.
Chris Devenski – Illness (D60) – The Pittsburgh Pirates transferred RHP Chris Devenski to the 60-day injured list due to illness.
Oneil Cruz – Hand (D60) – The Pittsburgh Pirates transferred OF Oneil Cruz to the 60-day injured list due to left hand injury.
Endy Rodríguez – Lower Body (D10) – The Pittsburgh Pirates placed C Endy Rodríguez on the 10-day injured list with left glute strain.

Arizona Diamondbacks Injury Report

Justin Martinez – Elbow (D60) – The Arizona Diamondbacks placed RHP Justin Martinez on the 60-day injured list as he recovers from right ulnar collateral ligament surgery.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. – Adductor (D10) – The Arizona Diamondbacks placed OF Lourdes Gurriel on the 10-day injured list due to right adductor strain.
Ryne Nelson – Elbow (D60) – The Arizona Diamondbacks transferred RHP Ryne Nelson to the 60-day injured list.
Corbin Burnes – Elbow (D60) – The Arizona Diamondbacks placed RHP Corbin Burnes on the 60-day injured list as he recovers from right ulnar collateral ligament surgery.
Cristian Mena – Shoulder (D60) – The Arizona Diamondbacks placed RHP Cristian Mena on the 60-day injured list with strained right shoulder.
Andrew Saalfrank – Shoulder (D60) – The Arizona Diamondbacks placed LHP Andrew Saalfrank on the 60-day injured list following his shoulder surgery.
Jordan Lawlar – Hamstring (D10) – The Arizona Diamondbacks placed OF Jordan Lawlar on the 10-day injured list due to right hamstring strain.
Blake Walston – Elbow (D60) – The Arizona Diamondbacks placed LHP Blake Walston on the 60-day injured list following left ulnar collateral ligament surgery.
Tommy Troy – Shoulder (D10) – The Arizona Diamondbacks placed OF Tommy Troy on the 10-day injured list with a right AC Joint.
A.J. Puk – Elbow (D60) – The Arizona Diamondbacks placed LHP A.J. Puk on the 60-day injured list.
Zac Gallen – Elbow (D15) – The Arizona Diamondbacks placed RHP Zac Gallen to the 15-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation.
Drey Jameson – Hip (D15) – The Arizona Diamondbacks placed RHP Drey Jameson on the 15-day injured list due to right hip inflammation.
Michael Soroka – Lower-Body (D15) – The Arizona Diamondbacks placed RHP Michael Soroka on the 15-day injured list due to lower body injury.

Pittsburgh Pirates Upcoming 2026 Schedule

July 27, 2026 vs Arizona Diamondbacks
July 28, 2026 vs Arizona Diamondbacks
July 29, 2026 vs Arizona Diamondbacks
July 30, 2026 at Cincinnati Reds
July 31, 2026 at Cincinnati Reds
August 01, 2026 at Cincinnati Reds
August 02, 2026 at Cincinnati Reds
August 03, 2026 at Milwaukee Brewers
August 04, 2026 at Milwaukee Brewers
August 05, 2026 at Milwaukee Brewers

Arizona Diamondbacks Upcoming 2026 Schedule

July 27, 2026 at Pittsburgh Pirates
July 28, 2026 at Pittsburgh Pirates
July 29, 2026 at Pittsburgh Pirates
July 31, 2026 at Cleveland Guardians
August 01, 2026 at Cleveland Guardians
August 02, 2026 at Cleveland Guardians
August 03, 2026 vs San Diego Padres
August 04, 2026 vs San Diego Padres
August 05, 2026 vs San Diego Padres
August 06, 2026 vs San Diego Padres

Our game previews are produced programmatically using real-time data via Sportradar and AI writing tools. Articles are regularly reviewed for accuracy before publication.