How Much Will Pirates Spend on Payroll in 2026?

It also saw them fire manager Derek Shelton, following a 12-26 record on May 8, which already ended their chances of competing for a playoff spot in October.

Pittsburgh has had seven straight losing seasons and 10 consecutive years outside the playoffs, both the second longest streaks in the MLB, with only the Los Angeles Angels going longer.

The Pirates have a record of 1354-1619 (.455) under Nutting, with just three playoff appearances from 2013-15 and four winning seasons in 19 years in charge.

Pirates fans have protested Nutting throughout his tenure, demanding him to sell the team in many ways, with regular "Sell the team Bob" chants at PNC Park, accosting him on the left field rotunda on Opening Day, flying planes with that message and even graffiti outside the ballpark.

Could Pirates Increase Payroll for 2026?

The Pirates are coming into a crucial 2026 season, one before a potential lockout in 2027, but also, one with a great deal of promise.

They have a fantastic pitching staff, who led the MLB with 19 shutouts, two more than both the Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres, who had 17 shutouts each.

All-Star Paul Skenes leads the starting pitching, which also includes veterans in Mitch Keller and Johan Oviedo and rookies in Braxton Ashcraft, Hunter Barco, Mike Burrows and Bubba Chandler. The Pirates also have a strong bullpen, with the likes of Isaac Mattson, Carmen Mlodzinski and Dennis Santana.

The Pirates failed their pitching with their awful hitting, with the lowest slugging percentage (.350) and OPS (.655), the third lowest batting average (.231) and the eighth lowest on-base percentage (.305).

Pittsburgh also scored the least runs (583) and drove in the least RBIs (561), both lower than the 43-119 Colorado Rockies. They also hit the least home runs (117), 31 home runs less than then second-lowest team in the St. Louis Cardinals at 148 home runs, and had the seventh most strikeouts (1,422).

Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette spoke on 93.7 The Fan about the offseason and what the Pirates will do with payroll.

Mackey said that the Pirates having low attendance doesn't help and that it's unlikely they break the $100 million threshold for the 2026 Opening Day Roster, even with the pitching making next season as big of one as it is.

“Attendance was down. I think that’s probably going to have a negative effect and I’m just reporting based on what I hear and the conversations I have. I’ve yet to hear someone tell me, “I really expect payroll to be over $100 million," Mackey said.

"There’s some reports that payroll is going to be down. I’ve heard some pushback on that. I don’t think it’s going to go down. Right about the 90-range and I don’t have a great explanation as to why. If I’m looking at this thing and I see Paul Skenes and the team that they have and the needs that they have, go out and spend it.

"If there’s ever a chance to go take a chance, make a run, do something, give your fan base hope, now is it."