PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have been a solid defensive team for the most part in 2026, but one crucial area they still haven't figured out yet.

The communication between outfielders has been a weakness for Pittsburgh, which showed up in the bottom of the first inning of their 9-0 defeat to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 5.

Diamondbacks Illdemaro Vargas hit a deep fly ball to right-center field, but neither center fielder Oneil Cruz nor right fielder Bryan Reynolds could come up with the ball and it dropped in between them for a double, making it a 2-0 lead.

Is it too early to start an All-Star campaign? pic.twitter.com/WcLxii9PcT

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 6, 2026

Acting manager and Pirates bench coach Kristopher Negrón didn't have a full explanation as to why that play went the way it did, but did note that

"I was talking to some of the guys, the wind was swirling a lot up there," Negrón said postgame.…