Are Pirates For Real? Where Pittsburgh Stands Post All-Star Game
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PITTSBURGH -- Are the Pittsburgh Pirates for real?
Everyone has an opinion as the Pirates entered this year's All-Star break with a 50-47 record, good for fourth place in the crowded NL Central and putting them within just 2.0 games back of the final NL Wild Card spot.
We've seen this before, and it would make sense to doubt what this team will do in the latter portion of the season. But don't let that sting from years past cloud your outlook for the remainder of 2026. Rest assured, these Pittsburgh Pirates are for real and have the pieces to go on a meaningful run this fall.
The Best Offense in Baseball
The Pirates currently rank first in the entire MLB in runs scored (495), hits (886), team batting average (.263) and rank sixth in home runs (125).
Simply put, this is the best offense the Pirates have had in years. Writer Alex Stumpf shared an interesting fact about the team's offense that should have everybody taking notice. Since the All-Star Game began, the Buccos have led the MLB in runs scored three times. This year was the first time the Pirates had done so since the 1971 and 1960 seasons.
Pirates fans know very well how the '71 and '60 campaigns ended - World Series rings.
Now, the Pirates have the offensive tools and production to be a legitimate contender once again. Oneil Cruz is still not back in the lineup, but this offense is moving. When they get the free-swinging power hitter back, the potential for this Buccos lineup is sky-high.
Since the advent of the All-Star Game in 1933, there have been three times the Pirates have led the league in runs scored going into the break:
— Alex Stumpf (@AlexJStumpf) July 13, 2026
1960
1971
2026
World Series Staff
The Pirates haven't had the best results from their pitching staff so far, but this group is World Series material. The Buccos sent two starters to the. Midsummer Classic, with ace Paul Skenes and Braxton Ashcraft earning nominations.
What's funny is that Skenes has generated a ton of concern for his play this season. In reality, he's looked a little less than perfect in his third season, but he's still one of the best pitchers in the entire MLB. In 20 starts, he's posted an 8-8 record with a 3.57 ERA and 130 strikeouts over 108.1 innings pitched. Again, it might be a "regression" compared to the Cy Young Award season he posted last year, but he can anchor this staff to an NL Central title and maybe more.
The x-factor in all of this is Mitch Keller. The veteran has been uncharacteristically inaccurate. His walks per nine innings are up to 3.0, compared to the 2.6 or lower he posted for the three previous seasons. He has also seen his strikeouts per nine innings dip to 6.7, nearly one whole strikeout fewer than he threw in 2025. If he figures it out, this is one of the deepest rotations in the National League.
With a new addition to the bullpen and hopefully some more improvements, the Pirates can become a complete team. Not only that, they can show that they are a real threat.
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Jacob is a featured writer covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for Steelers On SI and the NHL for Breakaway On SI. He also co-hosts the All Steelers Talk podcast. Previous work covering the NHL for Inside the Penguins and The Hockey News.