Pirates Offense Has Done Complete 180
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates were one of the best-hitting teams in baseball for most of 2026, but it's been a rough go as of late.
The Pirates haven't hit anywhere near as good as they did following the All-Star break, as they did prior to it, when they set historic marks across various statistical categories.
Pittsburgh has served as one of the worst offensive teams in the second half of 2026, leading to their 15-23 record and falling behind in the National League Wild Card race.
It's a disappointing showing from the Pirates lineup and one that has seriously hurt them over the past month-and-a-half.
Pirates Lineup Falling Behind in Second Half of 2026
The Pirates have regressed in almost every category, going from some of the best marks to some of the worst.
Pittsburgh has the worst on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS in the NL and second-worst in baseball, after ranking second-best prior to the All-Star break.
The Pirates have the worst WAR (Wins Above Replacement) at 0.0 and the second-worst WPA (Win Probability Added) at -5.79 in the second half as well.
Pirates NL/MLB Rankings First Half of 2026
Stat (Total) | NL/MLB Ranking |
|---|---|
Hits (886)/RBI (495)/Batting Average (.263) | 1st/1st |
Runs (516) | Tied-1st/Tied-1st |
On-Base Percentage (.342)/OPS (.768)/Total Bases (1,437) | 2nd/2nd |
Slugging Percentage (.426) | 3rd/3rd |
Home Runs (125) | 3rd/6th |
Walks (363) | 4th/6th |
Stolen Bases (88) | 5th/8th |
Doubles (154) | Tied-8th/Tied-11th |
Pirates NL/MLB Rankings Second Half of 2026
Stat (Total) | NL/MLB Ranking |
|---|---|
On-Base Percentage (.296)/Slugging Percentage (.346)/OPS (.642) | 15th/29th (Worst/Second-Worst) |
Strikeouts (371) | 2nd-Most/2nd-Most |
RBI (132)/Runs (141) | 15th/26th (Least/Fifth-Leeast) |
Hits (286) | 13th/24th (Third-Least/Seventh-Least) |
Doubles (50) | 11th/Tied-24th (Fifth-Least) (Tied-Seventh-Least) |
Walks (116) | 11th/19th |
These numbers show the disparity between both halves and the big reason for the Pirates dropping off as they enter the final month of their season.
What's the Cause for the Pirates Dropoff?
The Pirates have dealt with a number of injuries that have hampered their lineup, losing many of their best stars for significant periods of time.
Injured Pirates players in the second half of the season include center fielder Oneil Cruz, rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin, catcher Endy Rodríguez and both first basemen in Spencer Horwitz and Ryan O'Hearn.
The Pirates also haven't gotten great production out of their better players, with left fielder Bryan Reynolds putting up a sub-.600 OPS and Horwitz struggling massively following his return from injury.
Pirates (Top 10 Plate Appearances) + Slash Line in 2026 Second Half
Player (Plate Appearances) | Slash Line |
|---|---|
Bryan Reynolds (165) | .215/.291/.302 (.593 OPS) |
Brandon Lowe (151) | .255/.318/.423 (.741 OPS) |
Nick Gonzales (148) | .299/.351/.401 (.753 OPS) |
Jake Mangum (146) | .248/.308/.353 (.662 OPS) |
Esmerlyn Valdez (146) | .200/.356/.391 (.747 OPS) |
Jared Triolo (95) | .262/.347/.310 (.657 OPS) |
Jacob Gonzalez (90) | .184/.200/.356 (.556 OPS) |
Spencer Horwitz (76) | .159/.237/.174 (.411 OPS) |
Henry Davis (74) | .172/.260/.172 (.432 OPS) |
Rafael Flores Jr. (66) | .220/.303/.508 (.812 OPS) |
Nick Gonzales, having the highest OPS of the Pirates players with the nine-most plate appearances is not a great sign.
Rafael Flores Jr. is one of the sole bright spots in the second half for the Pirates, hitting five home runs in seven games for the Pirates and showing off his bat more recently.
The Pirates have struggled massively vs. left-handed pitching, 5-12 since the All-Star break and it looks like it will end up a defeat when they face a southpaw on the mound.
Pittsburgh has also not done well with runners in scoring position, going 2-for-30 in their latest series vs. the San Diego Padres at Petco Park, Aug. 24-26.
The culmination of injuries, poor hitting from important veterans and not having others really step up has resulted in the Pirates having one of the worst lineups in baseball following the All-Star break.
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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.