Pittsburgh Pirates Making History in Great Start to Season
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As the seasons first month comes to a close, the Pittsburgh Pirates are the league's best story.
And it's not just because they brought back Andrew McCutchen, who received a memorable standing ovation during his first game back at PNC Park in April.
The team is out to a 20-9 start through the first 29 games of the year and are leading the National League Central by 1.5 games over the Milwaukee Brewers.
The great start comes as a surprise considering the Pirates lost rotation member JB Brubaker to Tommy John Surgery and lost young shortstop Oneil Cruz to a fractured ankle.
Despite those setbacks, the Pirates have been great and are making some history in the process.
Per OptaSTATS: "In AL/NL history, among teams following 100+ loss seasons, the 2023 Pirates reached 20 wins in fewer games than any team since the 1899 St. Louis Perfectos (now Cardinals) who went 39-111 in 1898. (via Sam Hovland, @OptaSTATS)"
The Pirates went 62-100 a year ago and are seeking to keep the momentum going and to give their fans a trip to the postseason for the first time since 2015. Pittsburgh hasn't even had a winning record since 2018, when they went 82-79.
Part of the reasons for Pittsburgh's success has been the veteran leadership they've gotten from McCutchen and Carlos Santana. Both players are performing on the field, too. Santana is hitting .281 while McCutchen is hitting .258. Santana has 16 RBI while McCutchen has five home runs, 14 RBI and four stolen bases.
The Pirates will kick off their May schedule on Tuesday when they take on the Tampa Bay Rays, who are out to a 23-6 start.
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