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Aug 22, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Jake Mangum (28) walks to the dugout after he was called out on strikes in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Pirates Offense Has Done Complete 180

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Aug 28, 2026 10:00 AM ET

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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates were one of the best-hitting teams in baseball for most of 2026, but it's been a rough go as of late.

The Pirates haven't hit anywhere near as good as they did following the All-Star break, as they did prior to it, when they set historic marks across various statistical categories.

Pittsburgh has served as one of the worst offensive teams in the second half of 2026, leading to their 15-23 record and falling behind in the National League Wild Card race.

It's a disappointing showing from the Pirates lineup and one that has seriously hurt them over the past month-and-a-half.

Pirates Lineup Falling Behind in Second Half of 2026

The Pirates have regressed in almost every category, going from some of the best marks to some of the worst.

Pittsburgh has the worst on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS in the NL and second-worst in baseball, after ranking second-best prior to the All-Star break.

The Pirates have the worst WAR (Wins Above Replacement) at 0.0 and the second-worst WPA (Win Probability Added) at -5.79 in the second half as well.

Pirates NL/MLB Rankings First Half of 2026

Stat (Total)	NL/MLB Ranking
Hits (886)/RBI (495)/Batting Average (.263)	1st/1st
Runs (516)	Tied-1st/Tied-1st
On-Base Percentage (.342)/OPS (.768)/Total Bases (1,437)	2nd/2nd
Slugging Percentage (.426)	3rd/3rd
Home Runs (125)	3rd/6th
Walks (363)	4th/6th
Stolen Bases (88)	5th/8th
Doubles (154)	Tied-8th/Tied-11th

Pirates NL/MLB Rankings Second Half of 2026

Stat (Total)	NL/MLB Ranking
On-Base Percentage (.296)/Slugging Percentage (.346)/OPS (.642)	15th/29th (Worst/Second-Worst)
Strikeouts (371)	2nd-Most/2nd-Most
RBI (132)/Runs (141)	15th/26th (Least/Fifth-Leeast)
Hits (286)	13th/24th (Third-Least/Seventh-Least)
Doubles (50)	11th/Tied-24th (Fifth-Least) (Tied-Seventh-Least)
Walks (116)	11th/19th

These numbers show the disparity between both halves and the big reason for the Pirates dropping off as they enter the final month of their season.

What's the Cause for the Pirates Dropoff?

The Pirates have dealt with a number of injuries that have hampered their lineup, losing many of their best stars for significant periods of time.

Injured Pirates players in the second half of the season include center fielder Oneil Cruz, rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin, catcher Endy Rodríguez and both first basemen in Spencer Horwitz and Ryan O'Hearn.

The Pirates also haven't gotten great production out of their better players, with left fielder Bryan Reynolds putting up a sub-.600 OPS and Horwitz struggling massively following his return from injury.

Pirates (Top 10 Plate Appearances) + Slash Line in 2026 Second Half

Player (Plate Appearances)	Slash Line
Bryan Reynolds (165)	.215/.291/.302 (.593 OPS)
Brandon Lowe (151)	.255/.318/.423 (.741 OPS)
Nick Gonzales (148)	.299/.351/.401 (.753 OPS)
Jake Mangum (146)	.248/.308/.353 (.662 OPS)
Esmerlyn Valdez (146)	.200/.356/.391 (.747 OPS)
Jared Triolo (95)	.262/.347/.310 (.657 OPS)
Jacob Gonzalez (90)	.184/.200/.356 (.556 OPS)
Spencer Horwitz (76)	.159/.237/.174 (.411 OPS)
Henry Davis (74)	.172/.260/.172 (.432 OPS)
Rafael Flores Jr. (66)	.220/.303/.508 (.812 OPS)

Nick Gonzales, having the highest OPS of the Pirates players with the nine-most plate appearances is not a great sign.

Rafael Flores Jr. is one of the sole bright spots in the second half for the Pirates, hitting five home runs in seven games for the Pirates and showing off his bat more recently.

The Pirates have struggled massively vs. left-handed pitching, 5-12 since the All-Star break and it looks like it will end up a defeat when they face a southpaw on the mound.

Pittsburgh has also not done well with runners in scoring position, going 2-for-30 in their latest series vs. the San Diego Padres at Petco Park, Aug. 24-26.

The culmination of injuries, poor hitting from important veterans and not having others really step up has resulted in the Pirates having one of the worst lineups in baseball following the All-Star break.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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