The Pittsburgh Pirates improved in 2026, and their final win total proves it.
The Pittsburgh Pirates were eliminated from postseason contention last weekend, but their season officially came to an end on Sunday afternoon at the conclusion of game 162.
Pittsburgh ended the season on a high note, pulling off a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers in its season finale, finishing with an 82-80 record.
Manager Don Kelly said after the game that he was proud of the way the team finished the year strong, even though the game itself didn’t have anything on the line.
The Pirates set out to make the playoffs in 2026, and, of course, they failed to achieve that goal. However, that doesn’t mean Pittsburgh’s season was a total loss. There were still some encouraging takeaways, starting with the Pirates' final record.
Pittsburgh finished the season with a winning record for the first time since 2018, when the team went 82-79 and also missed the playoffs. The Pirates’ win total in 2026 is ten more wins than last year, when the team finished with a 71-91 record.
It’s a small step, but it shows this young Pirates team is headed in the right direction and is evidence of their progress.
Sep 9, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (6) celebrates with center fielder Oneil Cruz (15) after the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesPittsburgh secured a winning season largely because of its much-improved lineup from last year. The Pirates had the worst OPS (.655) in baseball after the 2025 season, but finished the 2026 campaign with the sixth-best (.734).
What’s encouraging or disappointing, depending on how you view it, is that if the Pirates were in the American League, they’d be in the playoffs, playing in October, and have a chance to go on a postseason run. The team with the worst record to make the AL playoffs is the Texas Rangers at 80-82.
The point, though, is that Pittsburgh remained relevant through September and played only a handful of games outside playoff contention, which is a far cry from where they were a year ago.
Even though the Pirates would rather prepare for a postseason series, playing games with something on the line with a week or two left in the season is valuable experience for a still-young roster.
The bottom line is that the Pirates should be encouraged following the growth the team showed this seaosn, but not satisfied, and in many cases, hungry for more.
Pittsburgh’s final record proves the building blocks are in place for the team to be competitive in the future, but the front office still has work to do this offseason to ensure the team keeps progressing and doesn’t take a step back in 2027.
