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Three Pirates Bold Predictions After Two Months of Action

Jun 2, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodriguez (13) celebrates with pitcher Gregory Soto (31) after the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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Three Pirates Bold Predictions After Two Months of Action

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Jun 3, 2026 12:00 PM ET

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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are an exciting ball club through the first third of the 2026 season. The team is in second place in their division, and things are finally beginning to look up.

The Pirates are trying to put the pieces together to keep this pace going, with the goal of returning postseason baseball to the ‘Burgh. Is that on the horizon for this team, however?

Well, it turns out this team might just be for real. Through 61 games, this team has left enough of an impression that these three bold predictions might just come to pass for the battling Buccos.

1. Pirates Win NL Central

At 33-28, the Pirates currently trail the Milwaukee Brewers by 5.5 games for the NL Central lead.

That’s fine, Let the Brewers have their reign now, because the Pirates are on the hunt. Armed with the fourth-highest scoring offense in the MLB and a pitching staff tand bullpen that hasn’t quite figured things out, the Pirates are a dangerous team to any observer. If things can come together and they can find a way to keep the offensive momentum going while locking in on defense, the Buccos will battle their way right to the top of their division.

The Pirates have not won the NL Central division since the MLB re-aligned the American League and National League into three divisions instead of two.

2. Bubba Chandler Moves to Bullpen

The Pirates understandably love what they have in the young flamethrower, but something just isn’t working with Bubba Chandler in the rotation. The 23-year-old is certainly going through the trials and tribulations of a rookie pitcher, but there is a risk emerging. If he continues to have a tenuous hold at best on his control, the Pirates won't be able to trust him as they move towards a division race.

Chandler has a nasty arsenal of pitches, especially that biting fastball. With lots of options at their disposal, the Pirates will move Chandler to the bullpen to finish the 2026 campaign.

3. Nick Gonzales Finishes 2026 With Batting Average of .300 or Better

The batter who currently leads the Pirates with the best batting average is infielder Nick Gonzales. The 27-year-old has quietly made a name for himself as an impressive hitter at the plate. He’s decisive and disciplined, and it’s helped him post back to back seasons with 95+ hits in less than 100 games played.

Through the first 55 games of the 2026 season, Gonzales is a force at the dish. He’s recorded 63 hits in 202 at-bats, good for a .312 batting average. It's a performance reminiscent of another former Pirates infielder recorded en route to the NL batting championship. Freddy Sanchez was the last Pirates player to capture a batting title or record 200 or more hits in a season.

While Gonzales isn't going to win a batting title, he might be a player that can post his own impressive campaign. After two years of honing his craft as a part-time player, Gonzales will keep this pace going and finish with an average above .300.

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

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