The Pittsburgh Pirates are watching another postseason from the couch after recording a 71-91 record to finish last in the NL Central.
The Athletic insider Jim Bowden ranked all 18 teams that missed the
playoffs and placed the Pirates at No. 13, but offered some hope and optimism on how to get back to the postseason in 2026.
“Over the last 30 days of the regular season, the Pirates led the National League in team ERA. Overall, they finished third in the league in that category. However, once again they failed to put a competitive lineup on the field, which is head-scratching. They finished dead last in runs scored, home runs and OPS. Then after the season, they fired pitching coach Oscar Marin,” Bowden wrote.
“All of their top starters are under team control, including the game’s best pitcher in Paul Skenes, making this the most critical offseason they’ve had in over a decade. They have to find ways to invest money and/or part with prospects to acquire bats, bats and more bats if they want to avoid wasting this strong pitching staff. If they are able to jumpstart the offense, they could be a surprise contender next year.“
Offense should be the Pirates’ focus this offseason as they were one of the worst in the league when it came to scoring runs in 2025.
The team will have to develop some prospects, but it cannot hurt to try and sign a free agent veteran or two that can make an impact with a bat.
If the Pirates can do that, they could be on the rise for the 2026 season.
