3 Winners, 3 Losers Through Pirates First 15 Games

Loser: Marcell Ozuna

This has a strong case to be the easiest pick of the bunch.

Ozuna, who had slashed .272/.361/.506 with 100 home runs between the 2023 and 2025 seasons for the Atlanta Braves, signed a one-year deal worth $12 million with the Pirates this past offseason as they overhauled their lineup.

The 35-year-old designated hitter has been nothing short of a complete disappointment through 15 games, however, batting an abysmal .070/.167/.070 in 48 plate appearances.

Though Pittsburgh made a large financial commitment to Ozuna, at least for its standards, he may not be long for the club if he keeps up his current pace.

Winner: Brandon Lowe

Another notable addition to the Pirates' lineup, Lowe has exceeded expectations over his first five series with the team.

Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team trade that also included the Houston Astros this past December, the 31-year-old has launched five home runs while posting a .965 OPS and profiling as one of the league's top defenders thus far over a small sample size with two Outs Above Average.

The two-time All-Star is set to reach free agency after the season ends, but Pittsburgh would be smart to find a way to keep Lowe around long-term.

Loser: Justin Lawrence

Lawrence, whom the Pirates claimed off waivers from the Colorado Waivers last March, was a bright spot for the club's bullpen during the 2025 season with a 0.51 ERA across 17 appearances.

The side-armer has gotten off to a rough start in 2026, though, owning an unsightly 9.82 ERA, 7.24 FIP and 1.909 WHIP over eight outings.

In his most recent trip to the mound, Lawrence blew a two-run lead to the Chicago Cubs in the bottom of the eighth inning on April 12 as Pittsburgh was going for a sweep, ultimately resulting in a 7-6 loss for the latter.

Lawrence has time to turn things around, and he's still striking out hitters at a high rate (12 in 7 1/3 innings), but he doesn't have much room for error moving forward.

Winner: Braxton Ashcraft

A second-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Ashcraft had a rather long journey through Pittsburgh's minor league system before making his big league debut last season.

Though he left a strong first impression as a rookie with a 2.71 ERA in 26 appearances (eight starts), he's outdoing himself in 2026.

Across three starts, the 26-year-old right-hander has posted a 2.12 ERA and 20 strikeouts over 17 innings with a 1.67 FIP and 1.000 WHIP.

Loser: Spencer Horwitz

Horwitz was limited to 108 games in his first campaign with the Pirates in 2025 due to a wrist injury after arriving in an offseason trade from the Toronto Blue Jays. Even so, he was one of the club's most productive hitters, recording a .787 OPS with 11 home runs.

The 28-year-old has been slow out of the gates this season, however, logging a .216/.333/.243 slash line across 45 plate appearances.

Outside of a high walk rate (15.6 percent), Horwitz has struggled in just about every aspect of the game.

Winner: Oneil Cruz

Cruz has always had the tools to become a star, it's just been a matter of putting all the pieces together.

While his defensive gaffes in center field on Opening Day weren't the best way to commence his year, Cruz has been nearly flawless ever since, at least offensively.

The 27-year-old is currently slashing .339/.400/.644 with five home runs, six stolen bases and some of the best batted ball data in the sport.

As long as Cruz keeps playing up to his potential, the Pirates could have one of the league's best position players on their hands.