Report: 2019 World Series on pace to be least-watched ever - MLB

David Bauder of the Associated Press reports that the 2019 World Series is on pace to be the least-watched ever, according to Nielsen ratings. The first five games averaged 11.6 viewers, falling under the 12.64 million viewers on average who watched the Giants sweep the Tigers in 2012.

Bauder also points out that Game 5 was severely outpaced, 18.3 million to 11.4 million, by the audience for the Sunday night NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. That’s the widest gap between an NFL game and a World Series game since Nielsen’s records became more precise in 1987.

We’ve covered in the past the myriad reasons for MLB’s lackluster television ratings, particularly in comparison to the NFL. Whereas NFL games are, for each team, once a week and a nationwide event, MLB games are frequent and highly regionalized. Baseball also has to compete with an ever-expanding swath of entertainment options besides the other three major sports. There are more than a handful of streaming platforms for movies and TV shows, several more for video games, as well as the usual YouTube and other forms of social media. It’s probably always going to be the case for the foreseeable future.

It is worth pointing out the play during this World Series hasn’t been terribly interesting. Given the non-baseball-related events like the Brandon Taubman saga, an umpire threatening armed insurrection, President Trump getting booed mercilessly, and the two flashers, the headlines and the general focus has hardly been on the play on the field. Add into the equation that the home team has not yet won a World Series game, and there haven’t been many comeback threats aside from Game 1. The 2019 World Series really hasn’t been that thrilling.

But! The World Series still has the potential for great drama. Tonight’s match-up between Stephen Strasburg and Justin Verlander should be thrilling inasmuch as it could be career-defining for both players. Verlander hasn’t earned a W in a World Series game yet in his illustrious career, and could clinch his team’s second championship in three years. Strasburg is a postseason king in the making. If the Nationals survive to force a Game 7, Max Scherzer — who sat out Game 5 due to a debilitating neck injury — would start with the potential to become the pitching version of Kirk Gibson in the ultimate game of the Fall Classic. A Game 7, if it happens, would be of historic intrigue. Whether or not the viewership at large agrees remains to be seen.

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PITTSBURGH – Andrew McCutchen’s tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning lifted Pittsburgh to a 5-4 victory over Oakland on Monday night, extending the Pirates’ win streak to six games and sending the Athletics to their record-tying 15th consecutive road loss.

The 15 straight defeats away from home matches the Athletics’ record since they moved from Kansas City in 1968. Oakland set that mark in 1986.

The major league-worst Athletics (12-50) have lost five games in a row overall. They are on pace to finish the season exactly 100 games under .500 at 31-131.

“It’s tough,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “Tonight’s game, we didn’t play well enough to win the game. I don’t want to say we gave the game away but there were a lot of instances where we had a chance to capitalize on opportunities and didn’t do it.”

McCutchen also singled and drew three walks to go with two RBIs. The 2013 NL MVP now has 1,998 career hits.

With the score tied at 4, Ji Hwan Bae led off the decisive eighth inning with a single off Sam Moll (0-3) and advanced to third on Austin Hedges’ one-out single. McCutchen’s sac fly plated Bae.

“I was just trying to get the job done. I understand the situation there,” McCutchen said. “We just need to get the run. I was trying to bear down against a hard thrower and trying to get that run in as much as I can, and I was able to do it and have a good at-bat.”

Angel Perdomo (1-0) retired both hitters he faced. and Colin Holdeman pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his first career save. It was an eventful inning for Holderman as the first three batters reached base, but he struck out Carlos Perez with runners on the corners to end it.

“I began my career as a starting pitcher in the minor leagues but ever since I was switched to relief, this has been the goal, to get a save in the big leagues,” Holderman said.

Pittsburgh starter Johan Oviedo gave up three runs and four hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Oakland left-hander JP Sears did not allow a hit until Mark Mathias’ leadoff single in the fifth but was unable to make it through the inning. Sears was charged with one run in 4 2/3 innings while allowing two hits, walking five and striking out six.

Sears has not allowed more than two runs in five consecutive starts. His nine no-decisions are the most in the major leagues.

Ryan Noda and Brent Rooker had two hits each for the Athletics.

The Athletics tied the score at 4-4 in the eighth inning on pinch-hitter Aledmys Diaz’s run-scoring double. Oakland left the bases loaded, though, when Nick Allen hit an inning-ending flyout.

Consecutive bases-loaded walks keyed a three-run sixth inning that put the Pirates 4-3. McCutchen and Bryan Reynolds each worked bases on balls off Shintaro Fujinami to tie the score at 3-all and pinch-hitter Jack Suwinski followed with a sacrifice fly.

The Athletics opened the scoring in the first inning when rookie Esteury Ruiz reached on catcher’s interference, stole his MLB-leading 30th base of the season and scored on Noda’s single. Seth Brown doubled in a run in the third and came home on Perez’s sacrifice fly to push Oakland’s lead to 3-0.

Connor Joe hit an RBI double for the Pirates in the fifth.

The Pirates drew 10 walks, their most in a game in nearly two years.

“We had a bunch of opportunities that we didn’t capitalize (on), but the thing I think I was most proud of is we got down and we didn’t rush to get back,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “We were still patient.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: LHP Kirby Snead (strained shoulder) is expected to pitch in the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday, which will be his first game action since spring training. … RHP Freddy Tarnok (strained shoulder) will throw a bullpen on Tuesday.

TOP PICK PROMOTED

Pirates catching prospect Henry Davis was promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis from Double-A Altoona. In 41 games at Double-A this season, the 23-year-old hit .284 with 10 home runs and seven stolen bases.

“He was performing offensively at a level where we felt like he was more than ready to meet the challenges,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said. “He improved as an offensive player even since spring training, focusing on the things we were challenging him on. Defensively, he’s made strides too.”

Davis was the first overall selection in the 2021 amateur draft from the University of Louisville.

UP NEXT

Athletics RHP James Kaprielian (0-6, 8.12 ERA) will make his first start in June after taking the loss in all four starts in May and face RHP Mitch Keller (7-1, 3.25). Keller has eight or more strikeouts in seven consecutive starts, the longest streak by a Pirates pitcher in the modern era (since 1901).