Here's what has stood out halfway through the Pittsburgh Pirates' 2026 season.
The Pittsburgh Pirates recently hit the midway point of the 2026 MLB season. Here are three takeaways for this group halfway through the year.
Pittsburgh’s Offense Has Undeniably Improved
One year ago, the Pirates scored only 583 runs, the fewest in all of baseball. Now, halfway through the season, Pittsburgh is on pace to score just over 850 runs. The offense has clearly taken a step in the right direction, which was the focal point over the offseason.
The acquisitions of Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, the mainstays of Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz, along with the development of Spencer Horwitz and Konnor Griffin, have put this Pirates lineup in an objectively much better spot than it was at the end of the 2025 season.
Halfway through 2026, the Pirates have the second-best team OPS (.755) in all of baseball, and their team wRC+ (109) is tied for third.
The Pirates don’t just have a good lineup; they have one of the better overall lineups in all of baseball.
May 30, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe (5) and first baseman Spencer Horwitz (2) celebrate after both players scored runs against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn ImagesThe Rotation Has Been Good, But Could Be Better
The strength of the Pirates organization over the last few years has been their pitching development, and that has remained true in 2026.
The Pirates own a team 3.97 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP, both of which rank among the top 10 in the National League.
Statistically, Pittsburgh’s rotation has been good, but it could still be better when looking at some players’ individual numbers.
Paul Skenes has not been the Paul Skenes of the last few years. His 3.10 ERA is still elite, but there have been some yellow flags, such as a decrease in his fastball velocity and an increase in opponents' average exit velocity.
Jared Jones is also still struggling after returning from injury. The 24-year-old owns a 5.76 ERA in six starts.
These points are not meant to suggest that the starters are a problem, but rather to point out that Pittsburgh’s pitching staff might only get better through internal improvement.
The Pirates Have a Narrow Playoff Margin
When the Pirates made all their offseason moves over the winter, the hope was that the team could finally return to the postseason in 2026. That hope isn’t lost, but the margin for a playoff berth is incredibly narrow.
Pittsburgh just got back to .500 with a 42-42 record after their win on Sunday, and, as stated, clearly has an improved roster compared to a year ago.
Still, the Pirates are 9.5 games back in the division as the Milwaukee Brewers are running away with the Central again. Even the Chicago Cubs, with their pitching woes, and the St. Louis Cardinals, who were expected to have a rebuilding year, are ahead of the Pirates in the division.
Pittsburgh’s best shot at making the playoffs is through a Wild Card slot. They’re currently 2.5 games out of that position. There are still a lot of games to be played, but one more bad week between now and September could take the Pirates out of the playoff race for good.
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