Jake Mangum was never supposed to be a central part of the Pirates’ season. But when roster trouble hit Pittsburgh and the team narrowed its focus to center field after Oneil Cruz had not played in nearly two months, Mangum suddenly became relevant.
That kind of opening would have been hard to predict one year ago. Since the start of last season, Mangum was featured in three FanGraphs articles, and the recent profile of his game has been consistent: he is a player whose style goes against modern baseball preferences, even while his value keeps showing up in the results.
What Mangum brought in recent stops
Last year with the Rays, Mangum played 118 games and logged 428 plate appearances. He hit.296/.330/.368 and produced 1.8 WAR. Among the figures cited, that placed him 24th in WAR, 26th in wRC+, and 30th in ISO.
Those are not superstar numbers, but they do explain why he has stayed on the radar. Mangum has enough contact skill and overall production to matter, even if his profile does not fit the power-first mold that tends to drive roster decisions in today’s game. He described himself as “Old School,” and that label fits the way his value has been discussed.
Why Pittsburgh needed him
The Pirates’ need made the fit more important than anyone likely expected. By July 27, Pittsburgh was 55-52, tied for the last NL Wild Card spot and about a 48.6% bet to make the playoffs. That is a meaningful place to be in the middle of the season, especially for a club that has not often been in that position recently.
Because of that, Mangum’s role is not just about filling innings or covering for a short-term problem. His opportunity sits inside a real playoff race, which gives every at-bat more weight. The Pirates did not turn to him because everything was going smoothly. They turned to him because they had serious roster flaws, and Mangum happened to be in the right place when the opening appeared.
That is why the move matters. Mangum’s game may not match the modern ideal perfectly, but the Pirates needed help, and his recent production suggests he can still offer something useful. As Mangum put it, things have turned out pretty well.
