1968 Pittsburgh Pirates season
Major League Baseball team season
The 1968 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 87th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 82nd in the National League . The Pirates finished sixth in the league standings with a record of 80–82.
Offseason
October 3, 1967: Billy O'Dell was released by the Pirates.[ 2]
October 13, 1967: Larry Shepard named manager of the Pirates.[ 3]
November 28, 1967: Dennis Ribant was traded by the Pirates to the Detroit Tigers for Dave Wickersham .[ 4]
November 28, 1967: Chuck Hiller was selected by Pirates from Philadelphia Phillies in the Rule 5 major league draft.[ 5]
November 29, 1967: Bill Short was sold by Pirates to the New York Mets .[ 6]
December 2, 1967: Bob Oliver was traded by the Pirates to the Minnesota Twins for Ron Kline .[ 7]
December 3, 1967: Jim Pagliaroni was sold by the Pirates to the Oakland Athletics .[ 8]
December 15, 1967: Woodie Fryman , Bill Laxton , Don Money and Harold Clem (minors) were traded by the Pirates to the Philadelphia Phillies for Jim Bunning .[ 9]
January 8, 1968: Frank Taveras was signed by the Pirates as a non-drafted free agent.[ 10]
January 27, 1968: Tom Dettore was drafted by the Pirates in the 3rd round of the 1968 Major League Baseball draft (secondary phase). Player signed March 29, 1968.[ 11]
Regular season
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
Team
ATL
CHC
CIN
HOU
LAD
NYM
PHI
PIT
SF
STL
Atlanta
—
8–10
10–8
11–7
9–9
12–6–1
11–7
6–12
9–9
5–13
Chicago
10–8
—
7–11
10–8
12–6
8–10
9–9
10–8
9–9–1
9–9
Cincinnati
8–10
11–7
—
9–9
9–9
10–8
11–7
10–8–1
8–10
7–11
Houston
7–11
8–10
9–9
—
11–7
10–8
9–9
5–13
8–10
5–13
Los Angeles
9–9
6–12
9–9
7–11
—
7–11
10–8
10–8
9–9
9–9
New York
6–12–1
10–8
8–10
8–10
11–7
—
8–10
9–9
7–11
6–12
Philadelphia
7–11
9–9
7–11
9–9
8–10
10–8
—
9–9
9–9
8–10
Pittsburgh
12–6
8–10
8–10–1
13–5
8–10
9–9
9–9
—
7–11
6–12
San Francisco
9–9
9–9–1
10–8
10–8
9–9
11–7
9–9
11–7
—
10–8
St. Louis
13–5
9–9
11–7
13–5
9–9
12–6
10–8
12–6
8–10
—
Game log
1968 game log: 80–82 (home: 40–41; Away: 40–41)
April: 8–8 (home: 5–3; Away: 3–5)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
1
April 10
@ Astros
4–5
Dierker
Pizarro (0–1)
—
21,320
0–1
2
April 11
@ Giants
3–1 (15)
Face (1–0)
Linzy
Moose (1)
7,844
1–1
3
April 13
@ Giants
2–1
McBean (1–0)
Perry
—
11,488
2–1
4
April 14
@ Dodgers
3–0
Bunning (1–0)
Osteen
—
27,136
3–1
5
April 15
@ Dodgers
2–3
Singer
Veale (0–1)
—
16,214
3–2
6
April 17
Astros
13–4
McBean (2–0)
Lemaster
—
30,779
4–2
7
April 19
Giants
2–5
Marichal
Bunning (1–1)
—
24,224
4–3
8
April 20
Giants
0–1
Sadecki
Veale (0–2)
—
8,156
4–4
9
April 21
Giants
10–0
McBean (3–0)
McCormick
—
17,337
5–4
10
April 22
Dodgers
3–5
Brewer
Moose (0–1)
Billingham
7,963
5–5
11
April 24
Dodgers
4–3
Bunning (2–1)
Osteen
Face (1)
4,938
6–5
12
April 26
@ Cardinals
1–2
Gibson
Veale (0–3)
—
39,866
6–6
13
April 27
@ Cardinals
5–7
Briles
McBean (3–1)
Hoerner
20,863
6–7
14
April 28
@ Cardinals
2–4
Carlton
Sisk (0–1)
—
20,562
6–8
15
April 29
Cubs
7–4
Blass (1–0)
Jenkins
Moose (2)
5,603
7–8
16
April 30
Cubs
4–3
Pizarro (1–1)
Hartenstein
—
3,710
8–8
May: 10–15 (home: 4–9; Away: 6–6)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
17
May 1
Cubs
4–0
McBean (4–1)
Nye
—
5,449
9–8
18
May 2
Cubs
0–1
Niekro
Bunning (2–2)
—
7,249
9–9
19
May 3
@ Phillies
2–3
Farrell
Kline (0–1)
—
9,433
9–10
20
May 4
@ Phillies
2–3
Hall
Face (1–1)
—
15,834
9–11
21
May 5
@ Phillies
5–2
Wickersham (1–0)
Jackson
Moose (3)
9,407
10–11
22
May 6
@ Braves
2–1
Bunning (3–2)
Jarvis
Kline (1)
9,131
11–11
23
May 7
@ Braves
1–2
Upshaw
McBean (4–2)
—
6,610
11–12
24
May 8
@ Braves
4–3 (14)
Kline (1–1)
Upshaw
Face (2)
7,035
12–12
25
May 9
@ Braves
2–4
Reed
Moose (0–2)
Britton
5,704
12–13
26
May 10
Phillies
2–1
Veale (1–3)
Fryman
Face (3)
9,397
13–13
27
May 12
Phillies
2–1
McBean (5–2)
James
—
12,203
14–13
28
May 13
Cardinals
0–1
Briles
Bunning (3–3)
—
10,082
14–14
29
May 15
Cardinals
0–1
Carlton
Blass (1–1)
—
9,461
14–15
30
May 16
Cardinals
3–0
Veale (2–3)
Washburn
—
9,595
15–15
31
May 17
Reds
2–3
Maloney
McBean (5–3)
Abernathy
13,499
15–16
32
May 18
Reds
3–8
McCool
Bunning (3–4)
—
3,670
15–17
33
May 19
Reds
3–9
Culver
Blass (1–2)
Kelso
9,458
15–18
34
May 20
@ Mets
1–2
Koosman
Veale (2–4)
—
12,221
15–19
35
May 21
@ Mets
3–4 (17)
Taylor
Moose (0–3)
—
8,188
15–20
36
May 22
@ Cubs
13–6
Sisk (1–1)
Niekro
Wickersham (1)
5,075
16–20
37
May 24
@ Reds
8–5
Kline (2–1)
Culver
—
9,379
17–20
38
May 25
@ Reds
5–4 (12)
Sisk (2–1)
McCool
—
12,153
18–20
39
May 26
@ Reds
8–8 (7)
—
9,672
18–20
40
May 30
Mets
3–6
Koosman
Bunning (3–5)
Koonce
18–21
41
May 30
Mets
4–5
Selma
Veale (2–5)
Jackson
19,779
18–22
42
May 31
Braves
2–5
Niekro
McBean (5–4)
—
7,301
18–23
June: 18–13 (home: 9–5; Away: 9–8)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
43
June 2
Braves
8–4
Kline (3–1)
Cloninger
—
19–23
44
June 2
Braves
5–10
Jarvis
Moose (0–4)
Niekro
21,491
19–24
45
June 3
@ Dodgers
0–2
Osteen
Veale (2–6)
—
14,568
19–25
46
June 4
@ Dodgers
0–5
Drysdale
Bunning (3–6)
—
30,422
19–26
47
June 5
@ Dodgers
1–2 (10)
Singer
McBean (5–5)
—
14,660
19–27
48
June 6
@ Dodgers
2–4
Sutton
Sisk (2–2)
—
14,112
19–28
49
June 7
@ Astros
5–0
Blass (2–2)
Giusti
—
14,578
20–28
50
June 8
@ Astros
2–3
Lemaster
Bunning (3–7)
Buzhardt
21,447
20–29
51
June 9
@ Astros
3–1
Moose (1–4)
Cuellar
Kline (2)
12,862
21–29
52
June 10
@ Giants
0–8
Marichal
Veale (2–7)
—
4,356
21–30
53
June 11
@ Giants
7–4
Kline (4–1)
Sadecki
Face (4)
7,807
22–30
54
June 12
@ Giants
2–4
Bolin
Bunning (3–8)
Linzy
4,771
22–31
55
June 13
@ Giants
8–7
Sisk (3–2)
Linzy
Face (5)
6,028
23–31
56
June 14
Astros
3–0
Moose (2–4)
Lemaster
—
8,603
24–31
57
June 15
Astros
13–2
Veale (3–7)
Wilson
—
5,005
25–31
58
June 16
Astros
3–1
Blass (3–2)
Cuellar
Face (6)
26–31
59
June 16
Astros
11–2
Sisk (4–2)
Dierker
Kline (3)
8,448
27–31
60
June 17
Astros
4–3
McBean (6–5)
Giusti
Face (7)
5,887
28–31
61
June 18
Dodgers
3–2 (10)
Ellis (1–0)
Aguirre
—
13,721
29–31
62
June 19
Dodgers
2–1
Veale (4–7)
Singer
—
10,799
30–31
63
June 20
Dodgers
7–3
Blass (4–2)
Sutton
—
31–31
64
June 20
Dodgers
2–3 (10)
Billingham
Face (1–2)
Purdin
19,838
31–32
65
June 21
Giants
0–3
Bolin
McBean (6–6)
—
16,222
31–33
66
June 22
Giants
3–10
McCormick
Moose (2–5)
—
15,617
31–34
67
June 23
Giants
1–2
Marichal
Bunning (3–9)
—
16,843
31–35
68
June 25
@ Cardinals
3–2
Veale (5–7)
Carlton
Walker (1)
26,927
32–35
69
June 26
@ Cardinals
0–3
Gibson
McBean (6–7)
—
32–36
70
June 26
@ Cardinals
3–1
Blass (5–2)
Jaster
Kline (4)
30,641
33–36
71
June 28
@ Phillies
10–1
Bunning (4–9)
Fryman
—
18,994
34–36
72
June 29
@ Phillies
1–0
Moose (3–5)
Jackson
—
17,052
35–36
73
June 30
@ Phillies
5–2
Veale (6–7)
Farrell
—
8,884
36–36
July: 15–18 (home: 7–12; Away: 8–6)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
74
July 2
@ Mets
2–1
McBean (7–7)
Selma
Face (8)
27,350
37–36
75
July 3
@ Mets
8–1
Blass (6–2)
Ryan
—
14,909
38–36
76
July 4
@ Mets
3–2
Kline (5–1)
Koosman
—
39–36
77
July 4
@ Mets
3–4
Cardwell
Bunning (4–10)
Taylor
29,587
39–37
78
July 5
@ Cubs
4–0
Veale (7–7)
Nye
—
16,040
40–37
79
July 6
@ Cubs
1–6
Jenkins
Walker (0–1)
—
40–38
80
July 6
@ Cubs
2–10
Ross
Sisk (4–3)
—
30,794
40–39
81
July 7
@ Cubs
4–5
Regan
Veale (7–8)
—
40–40
82
July 7
@ Cubs
3–4
Regan
Face (1–3)
—
32,447
40–41
83
July 11
Phillies
0–5
Jackson
Veale (7–9)
—
40–42
84
July 11
Phillies
1–4
Short
Moose (3–6)
Boozer
15,371
40–43
85
July 12
Phillies
2–3
James
Bunning (4–11)
Boozer
9,206
40–44
86
July 13
Phillies
2–3 (16)
Short
Ellis (1–1)
—
6,869
40–45
87
July 14
Cubs
2–6
Niekro
McBean (7–8)
—
19,335
40–46
88
July 15
Cubs
1–2 (10)
Jenkins
Walker (0–2)
—
6,648
40–47
89
July 16
Mets
3–2
Kline (6–1)
Selma
—
6,123
41–47
90
July 17
Mets
8–2
Blass (7–2)
Koosman
—
42–47
91
July 17
Mets
4–5
Koonce
Walker (0–3)
Taylor
8,974
42–48
92
July 18
Mets
0–3
Seaver
McBean (7–9)
—
6,234
42–49
93
July 19
@ Braves
2–0
Moose (4–6)
Reed
—
17,286
43–49
94
July 20
@ Braves
2–1
Veale (8–9)
Niekro
—
20,771
44–49
95
July 21
@ Braves
6–0
Blass (8–2)
Pappas
—
25,109
45–49
96
July 23
Reds
6–7 (12)
Arrigo
Face (1–4)
Lee
8,739
45–50
97
July 25
Reds
0–2
Culver
Veale (8–10)
Carroll
5,797
45–51
98
July 26
Cardinals
1–9
Briles
Blass (8–3)
—
45–52
99
July 26
Cardinals
5–4 (10)
Kline (7–1)
Granger
—
23,515
46–52
100
July 27
Cardinals
0–4
Carlton
Moose (4–7)
—
12,147
46–53
101
July 28
Cardinals
7–1
McBean (8–9)
Jaster
—
14,926
47–53
102
July 29
Braves
3–2
Veale (9–10)
Reed
—
7,357
48–53
103
July 30
Braves
8–5
Blass (9–3)
Johnson
Sisk (1)
49–53
104
July 30
Braves
5–4 (10)
Kline (8–1)
Niekro
—
11,624
50–53
105
July 31
@ Reds
2–8
Arrigo
Moose (4–8)
—
50–54
106
July 31
@ Reds
10–1
Ellis (2–1)
Ritchie
Face (9)
14,780
51–54
August: 14–17 (home: 4–6; Away: 10–11)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
107
August 1
@ Reds
6–1
Sisk (5–3)
Maloney
Face (10)
10,926
52–54
108
August 2
@ Giants
3–1
McBean (9–9)
Perry
—
6,423
53–54
109
August 3
@ Giants
0–7
Sadecki
Veale (9–11)
—
9,251
53–55
110
August 4
@ Giants
0–2
Bolin
Bunning (4–12)
—
18,151
53–56
111
August 5
@ Dodgers
0–1 (10)
Brewer
Blass (9–4)
—
17,851
53–57
112
August 6
@ Dodgers
4–1
Moose (5–8)
Drysdale
Kline (5)
15,732
54–57
113
August 7
@ Dodgers
2–6
Sutton
McBean (9–10)
—
13,848
54–58
114
August 8
@ Astros
4–3
Kline (9–1)
Cuellar
Face (11)
14,851
55–58
115
August 9
@ Astros
1–2
Shea
Ellis (2–2)
—
15,270
55–59
116
August 10
@ Astros
3–16
Coombs
Blass (9–5)
—
12,814
55–60
117
August 10
@ Astros
7–4
Kline (10–1)
House
—
25,814
56–60
118
August 11
@ Astros
1–5
Dierker
Sisk (5–4)
Giusti
16,892
56–61
119
August 13
Giants
0–3
Marichal
Veale (9–12)
—
9,135
56–62
120
August 14
Giants
1–2 (10)
Perry
Kline (10–2)
—
6,926
56–63
121
August 15
Giants
2–0
Blass (10–5)
Bolin
—
6,859
57–63
122
August 16
Dodgers
4–8
Drysdale
McBean (9–11)
Billingham
8,221
57–64
123
August 17
Dodgers
3–0
Moose (6–8)
Kekich
Kline (6)
8,181
58–64
124
August 18
Dodgers
5–1
Veale (10–12)
Sutton
—
17,423
59–64
125
August 19
@ Reds
3–8
Arrigo
Bunning (4–13)
—
6,659
59–65
126
August 20
@ Reds
8–3
Ellis (3–2)
Ritchie
Kline (7)
8,103
60–65
127
August 21
@ Reds
19–1
Blass (11–5)
Maloney
Face (12)
8,155
61–65
128
August 22
@ Reds
5–7
Abernathy
Sisk (5–5)
—
7,195
61–66
129
August 23
@ Cardinals
2–3 (11)
Hoerner
Kline (10–3)
—
34,845
61–67
130
August 24
@ Cardinals
6–4
Face (2–4)
Gibson
—
31,019
62–67
131
August 25
@ Cardinals
2–4
Briles
Ellis (3–3)
Hoerner
26,756
62–68
132
August 26
@ Braves
4–0
Blass (12–5)
Pappas
—
7,491
63–68
133
August 27
@ Braves
4–3 (11)
Kline (11–3)
Britton
Face (13)
6,633
64–68
134
August 28
Cardinals
0–8
Gibson
Veale (10–13)
—
11,197
64–69
135
August 29
Cardinals
0–5
Washburn
Moose (6–9)
—
7,681
64–70
136
August 30
Braves
0–2
Pappas
Ellis (3–4)
Raymond
5,896
64–71
137
August 31
Braves
8–0
Blass (13–5)
Reed
—
4,671
65–71
September: 15–11 (home: 11–6; Away: 4–5)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
138
September 1
Braves
7–8 (11)
Raymond
Kline (11–4)
Britton
5,650
65–72
139
September 2
Astros
6–1
Veale (11–13)
Cuellar
—
66–72
140
September 2
Astros
4–3 (10)
Dal Canton (1–0)
Ray
—
6,225
67–72
141
September 3
Astros
3–2
Ellis (4–4)
Dierker
Walker (2)
3,003
68–72
142
September 6
Mets
2–1
Blass (14–5)
McAndrew
—
4,082
69–72
143
September 7
Mets
3–4
Koosman
Bunning (4–14)
Taylor
4,002
69–73
144
September 8
Mets
3–0
Veale (12–13)
Seaver
—
5,424
70–73
145
September 9
Phillies
7–8 (15)
Short
Dal Canton (1–1)
—
2,664
70–74
146
September 11
Phillies
6–8 (12)
Wagner
McBean (9–12)
Farrell
70–75
147
September 11
Phillies
6–4
Blass (15–5)
Wise
Walker (3)
2,789
71–75
148
September 13
@ Mets
0–2
Koosman
Moose (6–10)
—
17,245
71–76
149
September 14
@ Mets
6–0
Veale (13–13)
Seaver
—
15,676
72–76
150
September 15
@ Mets
3–0
Blass (16–5)
Cardwell
—
33,838
73–76
151
September 16
@ Phillies
6–1
Ellis (5–4)
Wise
—
2,087
74–76
152
September 17
@ Phillies
4–2
Moose (7–10)
Short
Dal Canton (1)
2,576
75–76
153
September 18
@ Phillies
1–2
Johnson
Veale (13–14)
Wagner
2,463
75–77
154
September 20
Cubs
5–0
Blass (17–5)
Jenkins
—
4,478
76–77
155
September 21
Cubs
5–1
Ellis (6–4)
Niekro
—
3,429
77–77
156
September 22
Cubs
5–1
Moose (8–10)
Holtzman
Dal Canton (2)
27,405
78–77
157
September 23
Reds
6–9
Kelso
Kline (11–5)
Carroll
78–78
158
September 23
Reds
2–1 (10)
Kline (12–5)
Kelso
—
4,232
79–78
159
September 24
Reds
2–0
Blass (18–5)
Nolan
—
4,044
80–78
160
September 25
Reds
0–3
Maloney
Ellis (6–5)
—
4,577
80–79
161
September 27
@ Cubs
1–4
Holtzman
Moose (8–11)
Regan
2,384
80–80
162
September 28
@ Cubs
3–4
Jenkins
Blass (18–6)
—
10,940
80–81
163
September 29
@ Cubs
4–5
Regan
Moose (8–12)
—
16,860
80–82
Legend: = Win = Loss = Tie Bold = Pirates team member
Opening Day lineup
[ 12]
Notable transactions
Roster
1968 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Other batters
Manager
Coaches
Statistics
Batting
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pitching
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Farm system
Notes
References
American League National League
Franchise Ballparks Culture Lore Rivalries Minors World Series Championships (5) League pennants (9) Division titles (9) Wild Card berths (3) Media
Seasons (144)
1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s