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Pirates hoping for playoff push in second half

The Pittsburgh Pirates' starting pitching was expected to be the team's trump card this year as the Buccos are making their bid to reach the National League playoffs for the first time since 2015.

However, through the team's first 97 games, concluding with a three-game sweep of the NL Central Division leading Milwaukee Brewers this past weekend at PNC Park, the overall performance of the Pirates' starting rotation has been largely unremarkable -- with the exception of young right-hander Braxton Ashcraft, who joined Paul Skenes as the team's two representatives at Tuesday's All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

With 17 blown saves to this point in the season, the Pirates' bullpen has been a sore spot all season, costing the team not only by squandering leads late in the game, but also by failing to keep many other close games from getting out of hand.

The biggest and most pleasant surprise this season has been the drastically improved performance of the Pirates' offense, with three newcomers -- offseason acquisitions Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn, along with upstart rookie Esmerlyn Valdez -- among the players most responsible for the team's upsurge.

Second baseman Lowe leads the Pirates in home runs (21) and RBIs (64) to date, while O'Hearn is second in both categories with 16 and 63, respectively. Valdez has already hit 10 since busting onto the Pirates roster like gangbusters since his late-May summons from Class AAA Indianapolis.

After finishing at or near the bottom of the NL in most key offensive categories over the past two years, the Pirates are near the top of the league in many this season.

The Pirates' 516 runs scored in their first 97 games -- an average of over 5.4 runs per game -- has left the team on pace to surpass the all-time franchise single-season record for runs scored (809), which was put up by the 1940 Bucs in a 154-game season.

The Pirates have already hit 120 home runs this year, three more than the 117 that the 2025 team hit in the entire season.

After the recent sweep of the Brewers, the Pirates entered the All-Star break with a 50-47 season record that puts them in the thick of a congested Wild Card playoff picture as the Bucs attempt to reach the postseason for the first time in 11 years.

What follows is a closer look at each area of the team to date this season, as well as a midseason grade assigned for the performance of each:

Starting rotation: Aside from Ashcraft, who has come into his own in his first season as a full-time starter -- earning a spot on the NL All-Star Team while posting a 9-3 record and leading the Pirates' starting pitchers in wins, innings pitched (113+), and earned run average (3.49), along with being second in strikeouts (128) and fewest walks issued (27) -- the rest of the rotation has been largely unremarkable. Skenes has been fairly pedestrian over the first half of the season, and takes an 8-8 record and 3.57 ERA with a team-leading 130 strikeouts and fewest walks allowed (24) in 108.1 innings pitched into the break. A return to prior form in the second half for Skenes -- the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year -- will be vital in the Pirates' quest for a playoff berth. Veteran Mitch Keller (6-7 record, 5.14 ERA, 77 strikeouts in 104.1 innings pitched), has been hot and cold, as has newcomer Bubba Chandler (3-8 record), whose team-worst 55 walks issued in 94.1 innings pitched this season have been a major issue. The biggest boost to the rotation could be provided by right-hander Jared Jones, who has been impressive so far in his return from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow that required surgery and sidelined him for the entire 2025 season. Jones' last start before the All-Star break was particularly encouraging -- six perfect innings in a no-decision against the powerful lineup of the Atlanta Braves -- and he has already struck out 39 batters in his 35 innings pitched this season. Overall, though, the rotation, which was expected to be the Pirates' strongest area entering the season has generally underperformed. Grade: C+.

Bullpen: By far the Bucs' Achilles Heel through the first half, and an area that will be imperative for the Pirates to bolster prior to the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Along with having one of the NL's highest blown save totals, the bullpen corps has also been a factor in numerous other close games in the late innings getting out of hand. Left-handed veteran Gregory Soto, signed as a free agent in the offseason, has handled the closer's role for most of the games, and although he has a team-leading 12 saves, he also has four blown saves. Veteran right-hander Dennis Santana, who entering this season had joined Soto as a leading candidate to close games this year after a very strong 2025 season, has instead regressed miserably with a 5.80 ERA in 42 appearances while being demoted from high-leverage late-inning appearances to middle-inning or mop-up relief duty. Versatile right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski, who was moved to the bullpen after Jones' return to the rotation, has been one of the most solid members of the Bucs' pen with a 3.24 ERA, 62 strikeouts, and only 28 walks issued in 80+ innings pitched. Young righty Yohan Ramirez (6-2 record, 3.31 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 51+ innings pitched) has also shined in the middle to later innings. Both could very possibly be moved to the high-leverage duty situations in the season's second half. Veteran lefty Mason Montgomery has been solid in the late innings, as has lefty Evan Sisk -- whose fine performance to date has made the Pirates' trade with the Kansas City Royals for him at last year's deadline appear to be a slam-dunk win. After an outstanding debut season with the Pirates in 2025, righty Issac Mattson has taken a noticeable step back this year. The Pirates currently have no assurance that many leads are safe in the late innings, which will not bode well for them in a second-half playoff chase. Grade: D-.

First base: O'Hearn, a 2025 AL All-Star with the Baltimore Orioles, has been a very positive addition after signing a two-year free agent contract with the Pirates last offseason, and one of the major factors in the Bucs' stunning overall offensive resurgence this year. O'Hearn made Pirates' franchise history when he drove in 10 runs on three homers in a July 7 game against the Braves, and his return for a second season with Pittsburgh in 2027 will certainly be a welcomed one. Spencer Horwitz, currently on the Injured List but due to return very soon, has had a solid first half, cracking 10 home runs in 74 games played. Grade: B+.

Second base: Lowe was a two-time AL All-Star for the Tampa Bay Rays, for whom he played the past nine seasons before being acquired by the Pirates last offseason in a three-team deal that also involved the Houston Astros. So far, the trade has been a steal for the Bucs, as Lowe was a legitimate candidate for the All-Star Game, but was snubbed by the voters, despite having superior power numbers to the second basemen who were voted on to the NL roster. He has also played excellent defense but becomes a free agent again after this season, so his future in Pittsburgh appears to be tenuous. Grade: A.

Shortstop: Highly-touted youngster Konnor Griffin made his much-anticipated MLB debut after being called up to the Bucs from Class AAA in early April. The 20-year-old Griffin signed a nine-year, $190 million contract that same month. Griffin has shown well in his first major league season, batting .276 with five home runs, 25 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in his first 59 games. But Griffin has missed some time with injuries and is currently on the Pirates' 60-day Injured List until Sept. 4 at the earliest after suffering an injury to his left ring finger while making a diving catch in Washington against the Nationals. Former NL Gold Glove infielder Jared Triolo will take much of the playing time at the position in Griffin's absence but doesn't carry nearly the upside at the plate that Griffin -- who was selected ninth overall by the Pirates in the 2024 MLB Amateur Draft -- will bring to the table. Grade: B.

Third base: Nick Gonzales brings a potent bat to the hot corner spot, and his .308 batting average in 91 games this season not only leads the Pirates but is among the best for all NL players. Gonzales has also hit four home runs and driven in 43 runs, which places him fourth on the Bucs this season in that category. Newcomer Tyler Callihan is a capable backup to Gonzales. Grade: B+.

Catcher: Much-maligned for his lack of offensive production since signing with the Pirates as the first pick in the 2021 Amateur Draft, Henry Davis has an anemic .166 batting average this season, but seems to have found somewhat of a power stroke, with eight home runs to this point. Defensively, Davis brings stellar game-calling ability and a rifle arm that makes him very challenging for opposing baserunners to attempt to steal against. Joey Bart was traded to Atlanta this season in exchange for some bullpen help, and youngster Endy Rodriguez has hit .260 in 35 games with five homers and 16 RBIs. There hasn't been much offensive production out of a spot where many teams receive much more, but Davis, in particular, brings good glove work. Grade: C.

Outfield: The stunning career debut of 22-year-old right fielder Valdez, who has crushed 10 home runs and driven in 27 runs and batted .308 in 28 games since his May 22 call-up from Class AAA Indianapolis, has added a pronounced extra spark to an already good overall batting order. Veteran Bryan Reynolds has again proven ultra durable, appearing in all of the Pirates' first 97 games while batting .283 with 14 homers and 59 RBIs. Center fielder Oneil Cruz, who has been on the Injured List with a broken hand but is due to return before the end of this month, has also belted 14 home runs and driven 44 runs in 64 games played. Speedy Jake Mangum, acquired in the Lowe trade, brings an exciting element to the lineup with his ability to run down fly balls in the outfield and reach base with a high-contact batting style. Grade: A-.

Designated hitter: The Pirates signed veteran Marcell Ozuna to a one-year, free-agent contract last offseason to fill the designated hitter spot, a transaction that effectively ended franchise icon Andrew McCutchen's playing days in Pittsburgh. Ozuna hasn't delivered what the Pirates expected him to bring to the offense and has hit just .205 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs in 61 games played. Reynolds, O'Hearn and Gonzales have all periodically filled this role, not only to give each a rest from playing in the field but also because Ozuna hasn't been nearly as productive with the bat as hoped. Grade: C-.

Overall: The Pirates have spent their first 97 games this season flirting with the .500 mark and reach the All-Star break three games over the break-even level and in the thick of the hunt for at least a Wild Card playoff spot. To this point in the season, they have yet to forge a true playoff-type identity for themselves, however, and the Bucs will be looking to put together a sustained run of success in late July, August and September to achieve a long-awaited return to the postseason. Key factors in whether they can accomplish that will be the performance of the starting pitching rotation, improvement from the bullpen and some key acquisitions before the upcoming Aug. 3 trade deadline to address areas of need. It should be an interesting final 65 games, which could not be said for many Pirates second halves over the past decade. Grade: B.