Pirates Set New Single-Season Franchise Record at PNC Park
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates don't have an easy task of hitting home runs at PNC Park, but they've recently shown they can master the pitcher-friendly ballpark.
The Pirates set a new record for home runs in a season at PNC Park with 84 on the season, breaking the previous record of 81 home runs, set in 2003.
Pittsburgh hit three home runs in the 4-3 comeback win over the Detroit Tigers in the series finale on Aug. 19, with catcher Rafael Flores Jr. setting the record with his seventh inning home run, tying the game in the ninth inning with another solo home run and then second baseman Brandon Lowe finished off the game with a walk-off home run.
It's been an impressive showing for the Pirates and one that showed a big improvement from a horrid display in 2025.
Two New Additions Crushing it at PNC Park
The Pirates made sure they went out and made additions this offseason that could help them out with the dimensions at PNC Park.
Two players who have done this are Lowe, who came from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade, and Ryan O'Hearn, who signed as a free agent.
Lowe leads with 14 home runs at PNC Park and O'Hearn is right behind him at 13 home runs, combining for 27 home runs or 32% of the Pirates home runs at home this season.
Both are left-handed hitters who have excelled with the 21-foot Roberto Clemente right field wall, which does have the benefit, hitting almost all of their home runs at PNC Park.
Lowe has had a number of important home runs at PNC Park this season and a two-run home run game against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 15, an 11-9 defeat in extra innings.
O'Hearn hit three home runs and 10 RBI in the 12-4 win over the Atlanta Braves on July 7, a grand slam and two three-run home runs, also becoming just the 11th player in MLB history and the first Pirates player to hit 10 RBI in a single game.
Who Else Is Hitting Home Runs at PNC Park?
Pirates Player by Home Runs at PNC Park in 2026
Player | Home Runs |
|---|---|
Brandon Lowe | 14 |
Ryan O'Hearn | 13 |
Esmerlyn Valdez | 9 |
Bryan Reynolds | 7 |
Oneil Cruz/Spencer Horwitz/Marcell Ozuna | 6 |
Henry Davis | 5 |
Rafael Flores Jr. | 4 |
Tyler Callihan/Konnor Griffin/Jake Mangum | 3 |
Joey Bart/Nick Gonzales/Endy Rodríguez/Shawn Ross/Nick Yorke | 1 |
The rest of the list includes some of the main stays in the Pirates, but also some surprises as well.
Perhaps most surprising is the rise of right-handed bat rookie Esmerlyn Valdez, who has hit nine of his 14 home runs this season at PNC Park.
Valdez has hit to both sides of PNC Park with impressive power, with two opposite field shots, a 461-foot home run to deep center field, the seventh-longest home run in PNC Park history, two other home runs to center field and four home runs to left field.
Switch-hitting veteran Bryan Reynolds is third with seven home runs, including a right-handed walk-off, two-run home run in the 6-5 win over the Minnesota Twins on May 29, plus another one right-handed to left field, two left-handed to center field, one left-handed to right-center field and two left-handed to right field.
Former designated hitter and right-hander Marcell Ozuna didn't hit as the Pirates would've liked, although he did have six home runs at PNC Park, while the injured left-handed duo of Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz also have six each.
Pirates catchers in right-handed bats Henry Davis and Flores have combined for nine home runs, while three players have three home runs each and five players have one home run each.
Can Pirates Set New Single-Season Record?
The Pirates have had a great power season overall, hitting 155 home runs total, tied for ninth-most in MLB and sixth-most in the National League.
Pittsburgh hit just 117 home runs last season, the lowest in baseball and 31 home runs behind the next team, so they have already increased their total from 38 home runs total, while hitting just 49 home runs at home, making it 35 more home runs at PNC Park this season.
The Pirates have 15 games left at PNC Park in 2026, which includes a six-game homestand vs. the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels, Sept. 1-6, then a nine-game homestand over 10 days against the Milwaukee Brewers, Sept. 15-17, Kansas City Royals, Sept. 18-20, and the St. Louis Cardinals, Sept. 22-24.
Pittsburgh is 12 home runs from setting the new record for home runs at home in franchise history, which was the 95 home runs they hit at Forbes Field in 1947, with Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner leading them with 28 home runs that season.
Pirates Most Home Runs at Home in a Season
Season | Home Runs | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
1947 | 86 | Forbes Field |
1999 | 91 | Three Rivers Stadium |
2000 | 89 | Three Rivers Stadium |
2026 | 84 | PNC Park |
2003 | 81 | PNC Park |
1950 | 81 | Forbes Field |
2024 | 79 | PNC Park |
The Pirates have hit 84 home runs in 66 games, good for 1.3 home runs per game, so they are on a projection for 103 home runs this season at PNC Park, which would easily set the record.
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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.