What is fueling the rise of the upstart Pirates

Rodolfo Castro Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Here's what fuels the rise of the upstart Pirates

By Caleb Thomas | Last updated May 3, 2023 6:19 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates are one of the bigger surprises in baseball through the first month-plus of the season.

After losing 100 games each of the past two summers, the Pirates are 20-10 as of this posting, tied with the Atlanta Braves for the best mark in the National League.

You might expect shortstop Oneil Cruz, a budding star, and third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes to be leading the team offensively. But Cruz is on the 60-day IL rehabbing a fractured left ankle and Hayes has posted a below-average OPS (.653).

It thus should be considered an encouraging sign for Pirates fans that the team has the seventh-best team OPS and ninth-best ERA in baseball even despite missing production from key players.

"It's come together a little quicker than I think most expected," Jack Bowen, the national scouting supervisor for the Pirates, told Yardbarker. "Guys like Ji Hwan Bae and Rodolfo Castro have filled in very nicely."

In the absence of Cruz, Castro -- a 23-year-old utility player -- has provided plenty of spark. He has batted comfortably above replacement value so far, with a .379 on-base percentage compared to the 2023 league average of .320.

For his part, Bae has played middle infield though he is a natural centerfielder. While he has struggled at the plate, Bae has blazing speed (top four percent in Major League Baseball, according to Baseball Savant) and has made some spectacular catches:

Ji Hwan Bae just keeps doing amazing things pic.twitter.com/K1tM96Lmcf
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 14, 2023

Pittsburgh's staff has been extremely effective, too, especially in limiting home runs. The Pirates are tied with Atlanta and Chicago for third-fewest gopher balls given up.

"The pitching staff has been a big strength," said Bowen. "The rotation has been getting quality starts and the bullpen has been doing their job as well."

The rotation, while not dominant, has also been more than serviceable. Mitch Keller and Vince Velasquez are playing at higher levels than at any point in their respective careers while youngsters Roansy Contreras and Johan Oviedo have gained valuable big league experience. Wily vet Rich Hill continues to eat innings.

The bullpen is one of the biggest areas of improvement from last season. In 2022, Pittsburgh relievers posted a 4.72 ERA, second worst in the league. That figure has been trimmed to 3.02 this season, led by David Bednar (who looks like an elite closer) and Jose Hernandez (who is in the midst of a promising rookie season).

While the present is surprising, the future looks bright.

Pitching prospects Luis Ortiz and Mike Burrows have an MLB ETA of 2023, according to MLB.com. Combine that with the eventual return of Cruz, as well as the development of other top prospects in the organization, and there is a reason that optimism has begun to bloom in Pittsburgh.

Caleb Thomas

Caleb Thomas is a journalism student at Troy University in Alabama. He writes for on-campus publications "The Tropolitan" and "Troy Today." You can view his mediocre tweets at @cthomas6204.

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