Because of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 14-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, they have been in a position to sweep the Nationwide League Central Division leaders and go into the All-Star break having received seven of their previous 10 video games with a 50-47 file. It’s their most wins on the All-Star Break since 2016, and places them proper within the thick of the Nationwide League playoff race.
The most important issue of their relative success this season is an offense that has gone from absolutely the worst in baseball in 2025 to one in all its very best in 2026.
None of that’s an exaggeration.
They completed the 2025 season thirtieth in runs scored, thirtieth in dwelling runs and thirtieth in OPS. It wasted what was a robust pitching season and saved them close to the underside of the league standings.
It has been a whole 180 this season. After Sunday’s win, the Pirates go into the break tied with the Washington Nationals for essentially the most runs scored within the league (516), are second in OPS (.768) behind solely the Los Angeles Dodgers and sixth in dwelling runs (125). Their dwelling run whole has already exceeded their total 2025 whole, whereas they’re on observe to be the most effective offensive groups within the 145-year historical past of the franchise.
Right here is how they turned it round.
1. The Pirates spent some cash
Whereas the Pirates are nonetheless one in all baseball’s lowest-spending groups, they really made one thing of an effort this offseason.
They acquired second baseman Brandon Lowe and outfielder Jake Mangum (together with aid pitcher Mason Montgomery) from the Tampa Bay Rays in an offseason commerce.
They signed veteran outfielder/first baseman/designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year contract, making him the primary free agent to get a multi-year contract from the Pirates in over a decade.
They signed Marcell Ozuna to a one-year deal.
Whereas a few of these strikes have labored higher (Lowe, O’Hearn, Mangum) than others (Ozuna), they added near $30 million in payroll and have offered some critical offense.
Lowe is without doubt one of the greatest hitting second basemen in baseball. O’Hearn has been an expert middle-of-the-order bat, whereas Mangum has been a serviceable bench/fourth outfield bat.
They wanted exterior assist, they usually acquired it.
2. Bounce again years from returning gamers
One of many greatest components within the Pirates’ brutal 2025 offensive efficiency was horrible years from outfielders Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz.
Each gamers have bounced again in an enormous manner this season.
Reynolds has been one in all baseball’s best outfielders this season with an .877 OPS going into the break (sixth greatest in baseball), whereas Cruz has began to appreciate all of his monumental potential and emerged as a critical power-speed risk. Earlier than a latest damage, he was on observe for a 30-30 season with an .822 OPS in middle subject.
Nick Gonzales additionally deserves a point out right here for beginning to notice a few of his potential, giving the Pirates a .308 common and .761 OPS at third base.
3. Younger gamers rising
The expectation firstly of the season was that shortstop Konnor Griffin is perhaps the massive arrival from the prospect pool. And whereas he has been having a robust rookie season earlier than a finger damage sidelined him, he has not been the most effective rookie in Pittsburgh.
That honor at present goes to outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez, who has been off to an incredible start through his first 30 games and now finds himself hitting within the clean-up spot and producing like a bona fide middle-of-the-order hitter. He was prospect getting into the season. Nobody expected quite this much from the 22-year-old outfielder.
Catcher Endy Rodriguez has additionally began to achieve his full potential on the plate.
All of this stuff collectively have turned the Pirates into one in all baseball’s most formidable and imposing lineups. They nonetheless have extra assistance on the way in which with the eventual returns of Cruz, first baseman Spencer Horwitz and Rodriguez (all of whom are at present sidelined).
They at present have 11 gamers with an OPS+ over 100 (with 100 being a league-average hitter). A 12 months in the past, that they had one (Horwitz). That features seven gamers with an OPS+ over 118. That they had zero a 12 months in the past. This lineup can compete. They only want the beginning pitching employees and bullpen to catch as much as them.
