2026 MLB First-Half Recap: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pitching

The Good

Last season, the Pirates scored 583 runs throughout the entire 2026 campaign. This year, a very different story, as Pittsburgh entered the break with 516. Only Washington had as many runs as the Pirates as of the All-Star Game.

A lot of fresh faces have breathed life into the Pirates’ lineup. Brandon Lowe cracked 21 home runs over the first half, fitting in very nicely in a ballpark that many suspected he would do well in for the 2026 campaign. Ryan O’Hearn, who’s not a pull hitter by any means, had 16 home runs and looked much like the hitter seen in Baltimore last season. His finest hour was a 10-RBI contest against Atlanta in early July, breaking a franchise record.

Bryan Reynolds, who had a down season, has rebounded nicely with the increased support. Reynolds finished the first half with 38 extra-base hits, a 14.7% BB%, and a wOBA in the top 20 of the Majors.

Oneil Cruz had his moments in his first four pro seasons. But before he went on the IL with a hand laceration, Cruz was on the verge of a breakout campaign. Fourteen home runs and 24 extra-base hits, plus 21 stolen bases.

Between all of those pieces, coupled with the rise of sparkplug rookie Konnor Griffin, things certainly changed for the better in PNC Park.

Moving on to the rotation, this year marked the rise of Braxton Ashcraft. Ashcraft, who had some signs of weakness down the stretch, was a monster over the first few months of the year. Ashcraft was one of the best chase pitchers, and he also picked up a lot of strikeouts. The 2026 All-Star finished with 128 strikeouts, second-most behind Paul Skenes.

The bullpen also saw some nice surprises this season, as Evan Sisk and Yohan Ramirez both pitched well out of the bullpen. But that calculus was complicated by other problems within the Pirates’ pen.

The Bad

The Pirates have been able to do significantly better offensively despite what’s been an incredibly difficult campaign from one of the big pickups this winter, Marcell Ozuna.

By virtually all metrics, Ozuna’s year-to-year production declined. Through 250 plate appearances, a slash line of .205/.288/.355 with one of the 20 lowest wOBA figures in the Majors. The one good thing is that Ozuna still takes walks, even though that’s happened far fewer times in 2026 compared to 2025.

But what has been the marquee problem for the Pirates has been the bullpen, and to a lesser extent, the depth within the rotation.

Gregory Soto assumed primary high-leverage duties this season, part of a year where Dennis Santana had a 5.80 ERA entering the break. It also wasn’t a good year for 2025 breakthrough pitchers Isaac Mattson and Justin Lawrence, the latter of whom was DFA’d earlier this spring.

As for the rotation, Bubba Chandler had his command problems in his first real stretch as a big-league pitcher. And Mitch Keller, a pitcher who lives on the margins, posted a 6.75 ERA from May 1 through the break.

Looking Ahead

The Pirates already made one move to bolster the pen, as reliever Brandon Eisert was acquired alongside infielder Jacob Gonzalez from the White Sox on MLB Draft Day 1. It cost the Pirates the 34th overall pick but it did give the Pirates at least another option heading into the second break.

This will be quite the test for the Pirates. Konnor Griffin may not be back until September, while Cruz is on the IL. But, most importantly, can the rotation hold between now and the end of the season?

Paul Skenes (4.94 ERA since 5/1) and Braxton Ashcraft both produced unspectacular results of late.