Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Historic MLB Team Proposed to Relocate Amid Latest Ugly Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jake Elman | Last updated May 5, 2025 11:42 AM ET

It’s not hyperbolic to say professional baseball has never known a world without the Pittsburgh Pirates, not when the Pirates have called the City Steel home dating back to their American Association days in 1882.

Yes, 1882. After 140-plus years, though, could we be facing a world where the Pirates become the Team Which Formerly Resided in Pittsburgh?

Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller recently listed a major concern for each team, and he signaled out the Pirates’ attendance problems. The Pirates entered play Monday averaging 16,577 fans over 19 home games, the third-lowest mark of any team playing in an MLB stadium; the Tampa Bay Rays (9,989) and the Athletics (9,836) are using minor-league ballparks this year.

Miller subsequently suggested that Pirates fans should panic they’ll become the “next franchise with ‘might relocate to Nashville’ rumors,” an unimaginable concept despite the team’s 12-23 start.

The Pirates have spent the last three decades synonymous with losing, outside consecutive playoff runs from 2013-15. Those three years and an 82-win campaign in 2018 mark the Pirates’ only winning seasons since losing the 1992 NLCS.

Yet, it appears Pirates fans have finally had enough. Miller reported that Pittsburgh sold fewer than 9,000 tickets for an April game against the St. Louis Cardinals despite reigning NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes’ presence on the mound.

It gets worse. Pittsburgh announced a crowd of 13,633 fans last Thursday on Dollar Dog Day and a game that Skenes started.

“Every fan base has a ‘fair weather’ contingent,” Miller wrote, “but when you can’t even get butts in seats for home starts by the Cy Young favorite, you’ve got a serious problem on your hands.”

The Rays and Athletics have typically been the two teams linked to Nashville, especially given their stadium situations. If the Pirates do emerge as a possible relocation candidate, at least it sounds like Miller won’t be overly surprised.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: