What Happened to Pittsburgh Pirates?

The Pittsburgh Pirates have continued their prolonged period of rebuilding and struggled to translate prospect potential into sustained Major League success through the 2024 and 2025 seasons. The 2024 season saw the Pirates finish with a 76-86 record, identical to their 2023 performance, despite entering the year with playoff aspirations and making additions at the trade deadline. A significant bright spot was the dominant rookie campaign of pitcher Paul Skenes, who posted an 11-3 record with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 133 innings, earning him the National League Rookie of the Year award. However, the bullpen, projected as a strength, was hampered by injuries and underperformance, contributing to the team's overall struggles.

The 2025 season proved to be another challenging year for the franchise, as the Pirates finished last in the NL Central with a 71-91 record. Offensive production was a critical weakness, with the team ranking last in several major offensive categories including runs, home runs, slugging percentage, and OPS. Amidst the struggles, Paul Skenes further solidified his status as an elite pitcher, winning the NL Cy Young Award. A significant organizational change occurred in May 2025 when manager Derek Shelton was fired, and bench coach Don Kelly was promoted to interim manager. Kelly's leadership in the second half of the season, where the team played near .500 baseball, led to his contract extension for the 2026 season, with General Manager Ben Cherington also retained. The 2025 trade deadline saw the Pirates move several key players, including closer David Bednar to the New York Yankees and third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds, in exchange for prospects.

As of April 3, 2026, the Pittsburgh Pirates are entering the new season with a renewed sense of optimism and stated goals of making the playoffs, aiming to end a decade-long postseason drought. The offseason saw the team make notable moves to bolster the roster, including the signing of free agent slugger Ryan O'Hearn to a two-year, $29 million contract, marking their first multi-year free agent position player signing since 2015. Additionally, the Pirates acquired second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum, and pitcher Mason Montgomery in a three-team trade. The team's pitching staff is expected to be a strength, with Paul Skenes projected to win his second consecutive Cy Young Award. Top prospect Konnor Griffin, a highly touted shortstop, is anticipated to make his MLB debut and compete for the NL Rookie of the Year award, though he starts the season in Triple-A. Oneil Cruz is also a key player expected to reach his full potential this season. The coaching staff under Don Kelly has been finalized with several new additions, including Kristopher Negrón as bench coach and Bill Murphy as pitching coach.

Despite the on-field developments, principal owner Bob Nutting continues to be a controversial figure among fans and analysts, facing criticism for the team's consistently low payrolls relative to revenue, leading to accusations of prioritizing profits over performance. On April 3, 2026, Nutting directly addressed reports regarding a potential $140 million extension for Konnor Griffin, indicating ongoing discussions about the team's future investments. The Pirates' ability to contend in 2026 will largely depend on the continued development of their young core, the impact of their new acquisitions, and whether the offensive struggles of past seasons can be overcome.