Pirates Duo Makes NL All-Time Dream Team

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have had many all-time greats, but two players stood out in a recent list of the best players in the National League.

Fox Sports released their National League Dream Team in honor of the 2025 All-Star Game taking place and placed two Pirates in their lineup in shortstop Honus Wagner (1900-17) and outfielder Barry Bonds (1986-92).

Wagner was one of the greatest players in the early stages of the MLB in the 20th century and many regard him as the best shortstop that ever played the game.

He spent 18 seasons with the Pirates, winning eight NL Batting Titles, including four consecutive from 1906-09, led the NL in RBIs four times and in stolen bases five times .

Wagner played in 2,433 games for the Pirates, with 2,967 hits, 551 doubles, 232 triples, 82 home runs, 1,474 RBIs, 639 stolen bases, 877 walks to 655 strikeouts. He also slashed .328/.394/.468 for an OPS of .862

He ranks first in Pirates history in WAR (120.3), Offensive WAR (113.0), plate appearances (10,238), runs scored (1,521), triples and tied for first with Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente in games played.

Wagner also ranks second in at-bats (9,034), hits, doubles, total bases (4,228), RBIs, stolen bases and fourth in both batting average and walks.

The Pirates retired his No. 33 jersey and he is in their Hall of Fame. He was also an inaugural member of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, just one of five players in the first class, and is a part of the MLB All-Century Team and MLB All-Time Team.

Wagner also played three seasons with the Louisville Colonels (1897-99) and his final hits taly, 3,420, ranks sixth most in MLB-history.

He also starred for the Pirates in important games, leading them to the first World Series in 1903, where they lost 5-3 to the Boston Americans, and then to the franchise's first World Series title in 1909, beating the Detroit Tigers in seven games.

Wagner slashed .333/.467/.500 in the 1909 World Series, taking down a great Tigers team, led by future Hall of Famer Ty Cobb.

Bonds excelled throughout his seven seasons at the MLB level with the franchise, serving as one of the best Pirates players ever despite his short stay.

He slashed .275/.380/503 with 984 hits, 220 doubles, 36 triples, 176 home runs, 556 RBIs, 251 stolen bases and 611 walks to 590 strikeouts with Pittsburgh

Bonds ranks fifth all-time in Pirates history for home runs, seventh all-time for stolen bases and eighth all-time for his .503 slugging percentage. His overall WAR (Wins Above Replacement) at 50.3 is seventh best, while his 11.2 Defesnive WAR ranks tied for sixth with Sanguillién.

He also was the National League MVP and All-Star in 1990 and 1992 and won three straight Gold Glove Awards and Silver Slugger Awards from 1990-92. He hit 33 home runs and stole 52 bases in 1990, one of only three players to join the 30-50 club. He also hit 34 home runs and stole 39 bases in 1992, with 127 walks to 69 strikeouts.

The Pirates made the playoffs three straight seasons from 1990-92, but lost in the NLCS each time.

Bonds then signed with the San Francisco Giants and would go on and have one of the best careers in baseball history, winning for more NL MVPs and setting the all-time record for Home Runs at 762.

He earned induction into the Pirates Hall of Fame in 2024, alongside Leyland.