Pirates Must Fix One Big Weakness Heading into 2027
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates improved in many facets this season, but they couldn't get one part right.
The Pirates have been awful against left-handed pitching in 2026, especially left-handed starting pitching, posting an 18-33 record.
Only five teams have fewer wins than the Pirates against southpaws: the Colorado Rockies (17-33, the Miami Marlins (17-26), the Houston Astros (16-24), the Los Angeles Angels (16-32) and the Kansas City Royals (14-32).
It's not where the Pirates want to be at and especially as they aim for the postseason in 2026.
Why Have the Pirates Struggled So Much Against Left-Handed Pitching
The Pirates have hit .229/.300/.358 for an OPS of .658 against left-handed starting pitching this season, all the worst marks of any team.
Pittsburgh ranks better against left-handed pitching overall, with seventh-lowest slugging percentage (.386), 10th-lowest OPS (.703), 14th-lowest batting average and 18th-lowest on-base percentage, so the main issues are against the starters.
The Pirates have a heavy left-handed hitting lineup, comprising of center fielder Oneil Cruz, second baseman Brandon Lowe and first basemen Spencer Horwitz and Ryan O'Hearn.
Cruz has been incredible against southpaws, .323/.373/.476 for an OPS of .849, but the others have struggled.
Lowe has been better of late, but still hitting .228/.272/.386 for an OPS of .658, and both Horwitz, .236/.349/.278 for an OPS of .627, and O'Hearn, .218/.269/.355 for an OPS of .624, are a bit worse.
Maybe even more disappointing for the Pirates has been how poor many of their right-handed hitters have been against lefties this season.
This is especially true for third baseman Nick Gonzales, .272/.335/.335 (.670 OPS), utility man Jared Triolo .277/.333/.338 (.671 OPS) and catcher Henry Davis, .133/.159/.253 (.412 OPS).
Pittsburgh just suffered a poor 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on Sept. 23 and struggled against left-handed starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore.
Liberatore gave up just one run over 5.2 innings, as the Pirates again couldn't build much momentum against a southpaw.
Pirates manager Don Kelly noted that Liberatore pitched well, but that they need to be much better consistently against left-handed pitching.
"...But overall against lefties, we have to find a way to get better," Kelly said. "When we've been good against them, I feel like here in this latter part of the second half, we've been better, and getting back to that approach of staying up the middle the other way, backing the ball up. Tonight, just weren't able to capitalize on it."
Hope for the Future Against Southpaws
The Pirates do have a few players who could help turn things around against left-handed pitching in 2027.
Rookies shortstop Konnor Griffin and right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez showed they can excel against southpaws at a young age.
Griffin has hit .313/.356/.450 for an OPS of .806 and Valdez hit .233/.378/.633 for an OPS of 1.011 with nine home runs.
Both Cruz and switch-hitting outfielder Bryan Reynolds, who's batting .276/.361/.443 for an OPS of .804 against lefties, will be back next year and help anchor the Pirates lineup.
The Pirates do need to add a right-handed bat that can hit lefties, as the Marcell Ozuna experiment didn't help, so that's a big goal for them this offseason.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.