Aug 22, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA;Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly (12) walks to the dugout after a pitching change against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pirates Wild Card Dreams All But Lost

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Aug 24, 2026 3:00 PM ET

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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates came into the 2026 season with high hopes and an exciting roster that gave them the confidence they could finally make a run at the postseason.

That hasn't happened, particularly in the second half of the season, as injuries and a slump has put the Pirates far behind most other teams in the race for a National League Wild Card spot.

Pittsburgh just suffered a weekend series sweep to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, Aug. 21-23, where they had a chance to get back to .500, but instead fell six games below it at 63-69.

The Pirates have a little less than five weeks until the end of the season and it's looking more and more like those playoff dreams are all but gone.

Pirates NL Wild Card Standing After Dodgers Sweep

Team	Standings	Games Ahead/Back
Chicago Cubs	75-56 (.573)	+4.0
Philadelphia Phillies	73-58 (.557)	+2.0
San Diego Padres	71-60 (.542)	-
Arizona Diamondbacks	69-62 (.527)	2.0
Miami Marlins	67-64 (.511)	4.0
St. Louis Cardinals	66-66 (.500)	5.5
Pittsburgh Pirates	63-69 (.477)	8.5

The Pirates are no eight-and-a-half games back in the NL Wild Card race, behind the San Diego Padres, who are 71-60.

San Diego is actually the next location for Pittsburgh, as they finish off their final West Coast road trip of 2026.

The Pirates are also behind the Arizona Diamondbacks, Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, who they face this weekend for the final three games on their nine-game road trip at Busch Stadium, Aug. 28-30.

Two teams have managed to stay above the rest for the majority of the second half of 2026, in the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies who are four games and two games ahead of the Padres, respectively.

Both the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals were somewhat threatening to make a run at the postseason, but the former is 62-69 and the latter is 61-71, in worse positions than the Pirates are.

Pirates Outlook the Rest of the Season

The Pirates making the postseason would require them winning a vast majority of their games and doing so against the best teams in baseball.

Pittsburgh has just 30 games remaining and likely needs to win 23-25 of them to earn a spot in the playoffs, at this rate.

The Pirates do have some series against the worst teams in baseball, including their next homestand vs. the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels, Sept. 1-6, and a weekend series vs. the Kansas City Royals, Sept. 18-20.

Pittsburgh also faces some of the best teams in baseball, including the Chicago White Sox and Cubs on the road, Sept. 8-13, the Milwaukee Brewers, Sept. 15-17, and the Cardinals at home, Sept. 22 and 24.

Unless the Pirates make an historic run, it's likely they will miss the playoffs for the 12th straight season.

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

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