Pirates Proving to Be No Pushover as Season Winds Down

Contrary to the naysayers, the sky isn’t falling on the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Two nights in a row, the Pirates have defeated the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Could there be three wins in a row tonight at PNC Park? It’s a Paul Skenes and Blake Snell matchup. There should be a whole lot of fannies in seats tonight at the old ballpark.

To those Buccos fans crying out for team chairman of the board Bob Nutting to sell his controlling interest, stop already. It’s not happening. MLB clubs don’t need $300 million payrolls to dominate. Look and see who is at the top of the National League Central, and just how much the Milwaukee Brewers’ payroll is – in 23rd place among 30 clubs - $115,136,227 (per USA Today).

Spring training 2026 will come soon enough.

The past two seasons of the Derek Shelton regime saw the Pirates finish with identical 76-86 records. With Shelton’s dismissal in early May, and even with the impressive 51-51 showing under rookie skipper Don Kelly, equaling or bettering the 76 wins in 2025 probably isn’t in the cards. There are 22 games remaining on the schedule. At 63-77 heading into Thursday's game, the Pirates would need to win 13 games to achieve the win total of the previous two seasons.

In all likelihood, current Pirates’ general manager Ben Cherington will be gone by the end of this season. Fresh leadership ideas are always a good thing. Look at how the players have rallied around Kelly’s promotion from bench coach to the manager’s chair.

When some clubs have folded like a cheap chair towards the end of a losing season, the Pirates aren’t among that group's membership. Look back at the end of August’s schedule. The Pirates swept the Rockies in Colorado. They split four games in St. Louis, and as August went bye-bye, the Buccos took two of three games at Fenway.

Now, September has started off on a high note in besting the Dodgers. For a minute, could the complainers just smile, albeit briefly, and focus on the here and now?

The Pirates are performing well at home this season. 41-30, not too shabby. Work needs to be done to better the 22-47 road record this season.

A new chapter in the Pirates’ roster began right after this past July’s trade deadline. Gone are’ Ke'Bryan Hayes, Caleb Ferguson, Bailey Falter, and recently Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who were lost on waivers to Toronto. There should be considerable payroll money to spend in the off-season, in hopes of attracting proven hitters to relocate to Western Pennsylvania.

Talk about being rich in pitching. You have Skenes, Jared Jones is coming back from a season off from injury, Braxton Ashcraft, Mike Burrows, Johan Oviedo has successfully returned from the IL, and Bubba Chandler is now a full-fledged member of Oscar Marin’s pitching staff.

Can I get an Amen?

Lest we forget, the Pirates’ farm system is ranked No. 2 in all of MLB, and (drum roll, please), Konnor Griffin is ranked by Baseball America as the top prospect in the game. The kid from Mississippi is the real deal, a next Mike Trout. Hey, Pittsburgh – help is on the way.

How could I forget Isaac Mattson, Dennis Santana, and Dauri Moreta? These bullpen dudes can be trusted. Can’t wait to see you all at Pirate City in February.

Personally, I would like to see Andrew McCutchen come back, again, on a one-year deal in 2026. I didn’t feel this way last March. But the vet has demonstrated that he can still come through in the clutch at the dish. Plus, the leadership Cutch offers in the clubhouse and dugout would be worth the dollars Cherington or a new GM could offer.

Buccos fans – enjoy the last home stand later this month when the Chicago Cubs and Athletics visit PNC Park. Ignore the negative energy swirling around Piratesville. There’s a new dawn on the horizon.

Back in 1979, the New York Mets had an advertising slogan: “Bring your kids to see our kids.” Well, I kind of like this for what’s coming in 2026.