Pittsburgh Pirates
· 2026-07-10
A Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher made unfortunate history Thursday night when manager Derek Shelton pulled him in the middle of a perfect game bid. The right-hander had retired all 18 batters he faced through six innings before being lifted for a reliever. It marked the earliest a starter has ever been removed while still perfect in a game.
The Pirates starter was cruising. He needed only 72 pitches to get through six frames, striking out eight and allowing zero baserunners. But Shelton decided to go to the bullpen anyway. The move stunned fans at PNC Park and drew immediate criticism on social media.
Shelton said after the game the pitcher's workload was the reason. "We had a plan going in," he explained. "He was at his limit." The starter had thrown 98 pitches in his previous outing and the team wanted to protect his arm.
The Pirates sit at 47-47, 10th in the National League, after a 5-10 loss to the Atlanta Braves on July 9. They're on a two-game losing streak. Every win matters in a tight playoff race. Pulling a pitcher with a perfect game on the line sends a message about priorities.
Some players disagreed with the decision. "You want to be out there," one teammate said. "But the manager makes the call." The bullpen gave up three runs in the seventh inning, and the Pirates lost 4-2. The perfect game bid was gone, and so was a chance to build momentum.
The Pirates have been careful with their young arms all season. The starter in question is 24 years old and has already thrown 120 innings. The team wants him fresh for September. But baseball history shows how rare perfect games are — only 23 in MLB history.
Shelton said he understood the frustration. "I get it," he said. "But we're thinking about the long haul." The Pirates have a young core and need to keep their pitchers healthy. Still, the decision will be debated for weeks.
Pittsburgh hosts the Braves again Friday night. They need to stop the losing streak and get back to .500. The bullpen has been shaky lately, and the offense managed just two runs in Thursday's loss. The Pirates are 4-6 in their last 10 games.
Shelton said the team will bounce back. "We've got a resilient group," he said. "We'll be ready tomorrow." The Pirates are still within striking distance of a wild-card spot. But they can't afford many more nights like this one.