The Energy Around the Pittsburgh Pirates is Different This Spring

Although teams across the league have yet to play their 20th spring training game, there have been some very noticeable storylines developing in both the Grapefruit League and the Cactus League.

One of the most interesting stories has been the tone shift the Pittsburgh Pirates have experienced, as a good amount of excitement surrounds this organization for the first time in a decade.

After spending a week around the Pirates earlier this month, that sense of renewed energy wasn’t hard to notice. Whether it was the quietest guys in the locker room laughing around both players and coaches, or the most outgoing players on the team already blending well with their new teammates, there was a clear sense of belief in the air.

That optimism has been created by arguably the most active offseason the club has seen in recent memory. The Pirates brought in multiple impact bats in Ryan O’Hearn, Brandon Lowe, and Marcell Ozuna, in addition to exciting young pieces such as Jhostynxon Garcia, which all helped create confidence among players and fans alike.

Even though it’s early in spring training, this excitement seems to be translating well to the field, as the club is clicking from the ground up. They currently possess the second-best record in the Grapefruit League with a strong run differential, something the club has struggled to say in years.

With new faces in the clubhouse and renewed expectations beginning to take shape, players say the energy shift is being driven by a combination of culture, chemistry, and belief that this roster may be closer to competing than many realize.

An Emphasis on Clubhouse Culture

While the roster additions have undoubtedly added plenty of outside excitement due to the production they may bring, players inside the clubhouse say the shift in energy goes much deeper than the new names on the lineup card. Much of it begins with the culture being established early in camp under Don Kelly.

After taking over the managerial position from Derek Shelton early last May, Don Kelly was thrown into the fire, and he greatly succeeded. Kelly took the Pirates from having one of the worst records in baseball to finishing near .500 under his leadership, showing how much his presence mattered.

With this year being Kelly’s first full season as the club’s manager, establishing a strong clubhouse culture and an emphasis on a team-first mindset have been incredibly important. For newcomers like outfielder Jake Mangum, that mindset was immediately noticeable when he arrived in camp.

“It’s about us, it’s not about me,” Mangum said when I asked him about Kelly’s message. “Baseball can be a very individualized game, but you’ve got to make sure the team comes first.”

Mangum continued to drive this point home by talking about how straightforward the message was overall. “The message is simple. Just do whatever it takes to win and help the team.”

Kelly’s message about prioritizing the team over a player’s own individual success will be integral to their chances in 2026. If the team carries itself with this mindset, they’ll be able to help pull each other through rough patches and the dog days of summer, which is where the best teams begin to truly separate themselves.

Mangum added that the emphasis on building a strong clubhouse has been just as important as assembling a talented product on the field. According to him, the organization has made a conscious effort to acquire players who fit their clubhouse culture as well as they fit the club statistically.

“I think our staff is creating a great culture here. They’re acquiring not only great players, but great character guys,” Mangum said. “You mix all those things together and typically good things happen.”

That balance between different personalities has already begun to show in the clubhouse. Veterans, youngsters, and newcomers have blended quickly, with players creating a welcoming environment for players of all shapes and sizes. In the clubhouse, guys are hanging around one another, cracking jokes, and sharing the types of conversations needed to keep them together for a full season.

Especially considering the sheer number of moves the Pirates made over the winter, this environment has been increasingly important in helping newcomers immediately feel welcome. This is something Mangum preached during my conversation with him as well.

“Well, first off, the guys that have already been here have been awesome to the new guys,” Mangum said. “And then you mix in, you know, the new guys that are here that I played with—Mason and Brandon—that helped me a lot just kind of get acclimated with familiar faces around.”

With players immediately feeling comfortable around the rest of the team, this will make it much easier to play together on the field. Players are buying into a system that’s much bigger than themselves, as every time they step on the field, they’re trying their hardest for their teammates, who’ve essentially become like family in a few short weeks.

What Makes Pittsburgh Appealing From the Outside

Despite many of the Pirates’ offseason acquisitions occurring via trade, this wasn’t the case for all of them. Ryan O’Hearn, for example, signed a two-year, $29 million deal with the Pirates despite having multiple offers from other teams.

The left-handed slugger told me that he was drawn not just to the opportunity to play in Pittsburgh, but also to the sense that the team was closer to contention than many might have realized on the surface.

“The pitching staff was attractive,” O’Hearn said. “The other moves that they were making—it just seemed like there was one or two or three pieces away from being a legit team and contender.”

With the Pirates’ pitching staff being led by a three-headed monster that includes last year’s NL Cy Young winner, Paul Skenes, top prospect Bubba Chandler, and the ever-consistent presence of former all-star Mitch Keller, it’s easy to see why this group has such high expectations.

While their pitching staff was seemingly ready for Postseason competition, the same couldn’t be said for their offense. O’Hearn added that he felt he could immediately provide some help in this department by joining the team.

“I thought I could come and bring some offense,” O’Hearn said, summarizing why he ultimately chose Pittsburgh.

For a highly coveted free agent of O’Hearn’s caliber, seeing the Pirates take deliberate steps to improve made this a more attractive destination. Players around the league believe that this team is close to a Postseason berth, which ultimately helps the enthusiasm heading into 2026.

From the outside, the combination of an improving roster, young talent on the rise, and a clearly articulated culture makes the Pirates a team that can appeal to higher-tier free agents.

The Pirates have created a desirable place to play baseball, through their strong clubhouse, on-field product, and the welcoming energy of the city overall.

Supporting the Vibe-Shift with On-Field Production

With such a strong environment now present in Pittsburgh, the focus now shifts to supporting their change in energy and confidence with results on the field. So far, this team appears to be in a good spot to turn talk into action, even if it’s only spring training.

Aside from the positive signs the team has shown early this spring, projection models around the industry have supported the positive narrative that surrounds the Pirates.

For example, FanGraphs currently has the Pirates’ playoff odds at just shy of 44%, which places them sixth in the National League. This would secure them the final playoff spot in the league, allowing them to return to the Postseason for the first time since 2015.

Not only this, but FanGraphs also projects the Pirates to finish with 83 wins, a total that was good enough to secure the Cincinnati Reds the final NL Wild Card spot during the 2025 season. Seeing things like this makes the Postseason appear like a real possibility rather than a pipedream.

If they’re truly going to turn this newfound energy into a Postseason appearance, the Pirates will need to produce offensively to match the success of their pitching staff. With a strong offensive showing this spring, their new offseason additions, and more, it’s very possible that this comes to fruition.

Above all else, the Pirates have built a very strong foundation for a successful 2026 season, and it’s being felt by players, coaches, and fans alike. The energy around this team is quite different, and it’s been a pleasure to see from the outside looking in.