Four Pirates That Deserve All-Star Nods

It's another June where he's been great in his career, as he has slashed .323/.395/.552 for an OPS of .947 in the month.

Reynolds struggled in 2025, but has turned it around from the plate this season, becoming a key part of a lineup that stacks up against the best in baseball.

He has slashed .282/.398/.466 for an OPS of .864 in 86 games, with 87 hits, 20 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 52 RBI and 56 walks to 81 strikeouts.

Reynolds actually had a better May than June this season, batting .313/.422/.510, and has hit consistently well throughout.

He has done a great job with his plate discipline, as his 56 walks rank third-most in the NL and seventh-most in baseball, his .398 on-base percentage ranks third-best in the NL and sixth-best in baseball and his .864 OPS ranks 14th in the NL and 22nd in baseball.

Those 56 walks also are tied for fourth-most in a season in his career, marking a big improvement in a key area of his game.

Reynolds has hit well enough this season to earn his third All-Star nod and it would come as a great shame if he doesn't get that shot.

Brandon Lowe was the Perfect Offseason Addition

The Pirates wanted to add some power to their lineup this offseason and they surely did so when they landed second baseman Brandon Lowe in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Lowe has slashed .239/.313/.502 for an OPS of .815 in 79 games, with 74 hits, 19 doubles, 20 home runs and 57 RBI.

His 20 home runs lead the Pirates, rank tied for fourth-most in the NL and tied for ninth-most in baseball, his .502 slugging percentage is 17th-best in the NL and 25th-best in baseball and his 57 RBI rank tied for fifth-most in the NL and tied for 10th-most in baseball.

He's also hit three home runs in March, five home runs in April and six home runs each in May and June, staying a consistent home run threat for the Pirates.

Lowe ranks as the best power-hitting second baseman in baseball, leading the position in most stats and showing himself worth of an All-Star nod.

Brandon Lowe Stats Amongst NL/MLB Second Basemen

Braxton Ashcraft Having Breakout Year in Pirates Rotation

Pirates right-handed starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft is only in his first full season in the rotation, but has shown that he can not only handle the role, but perform incredibly well too.

Ashcraft has posted an 8-3 record through 17 starts, a 3.33 ERA over 102.2 innings pitched, 115 strikeouts to 23 walks, a .232 batting average allowed (BAA) and a 1.08 WHIP.

He has shown himself as one of the better pitchers in baseball and hasn't let a couple shaky outings from putting up more dominant starts consistently.

Pirates RHP Braxton Aschraft NL/MLB Rankings

Ashcraft is also going deep into games, posting 10 quality starts (less than three runs allowed, at least six innings pitched), tied for sixth-most in the NL and seventh-most in baseball.

His great pitch mix, featuring his higher velocity options in his four-seam fastball and sinker and his even more impressive offspeed choices in his curveball and slider make him a dangerous pitcher for anyone batter to face.

Ashcraft could use another great outing to really solidfy his All-Star status, but he's proven that he can be a dominant pitcher in the major leagues.

Paul Skenes Still Amongst the Best

It's not been exactly the season the Pirates envisioned for ace Paul Skenes, as he's not invincible as he was his first two years in the major leagues, but is still quite dominant.

Skenes has a 6-7 record through 17 starts, a 3.10 ERA over 93.0 innings pitched, 114 strikeouts to 20 walks, a 0.97 WHIP and a .205 BAA.

It's been a rough past eight outings for Skenes, who has posted a 4.40 ERA and not won any of his starts, a combination of long innings getting to him and also a lack of offensive support.

Skenes still ranks amongst the best pitchers in baseball, especially amongst advanced metrics, despite his first "slump" in the major leagues.

Skenes was fantastic earlier on in 2026, posting a 6-2 record in his first nine starts with a 1.98 ERA and also a 1.09 ERA over his next eight starts after the Opening Day debacle, where he gave up five earned runs and didn't make it out of the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on March 26.

A couple more good starts will play a big role towards Skenes getting back to the pitcher he was, but he's still amongst the best aces in baseball.