One positive the Pittsburgh Pirates can take into the offseason is that the team ended on a high note, even after missing the playoff picture.

Pittsburgh’s offense started to rebound during the second half of September, but what really stood out over the final month of the season was the team’s pitching.

In fact, the Pirates ended up with two of MLB’s top pitchers during the final month of the regular season.

Jared Jones wasn’t just the Pirates' top starting pitcher during September, but he was also one of the best starters in all of MLB during the home stretch.

The 25-year-old finished the final month of the season with a 0.93 ERA (3ER / 29.0 IP), which was the best in baseball among qualified pitchers.

Jones really did end the 2026 season on a high note, and that included taking a perfect game into the fifth inning of his penultimate start of the year.

This finish is especially important considering where Jones was at the start of the year. He had a rough start to his season after missing over a full calendar year following UCL surgery in May 2025. There were even some outings in which Jones displayed how frustrated he was.

However, his progress throughout the season helped the Pirates pitcher finish where he wanted.

Jones ended up finishing the season with a 3.72 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in 21 starts, which included a 32.6 percent whiff rate and a 29.6 percent strikeout rate.

Those numbers, along with a dominant September, should have Jones and the Pirates feeling good about where he’s at heading into the winter.

Not only did the Pirates have one of the top starting pitchers in baseball during the final month’s worth of games, but the team also had one of the best closers, too.

Mason Montgomery finished September with 11 saves, which was the most of any closer in baseball. Yes, more than San Diego Padres superstar Mason Miller and Cleveland Guardians’ elite arm Cade Smith.

Montgomery really solidified himself as Pittsburgh’s future closer over the course of the season, especially during the second half of the season and in September. Along with his double-digit saves, Montgomery logged a 1.42 ERA after the All-Star break.

One of the main concerns throughout the season was the lack of high-leverage arms the Pirates had in the bullpen. Now, Pittsburgh can say that they’ve ended the season with one of the best closers in baseball.