Swing into MLB season by getting to know the top 5 Pittsburgh Pirates
Now that the NHL season is over for the Penguins, we turn our attention to PNC Park, where the Pittsburgh Pirates our gearing up for the long summer season.
The NHL playoffs are in full swing, but seeing as how the Pittsburgh Penguins fell just a few points of the last available Eastern Conference slot, it’s time we turn our attention to PNC Park.
While the Pittsburgh Pirates had a disappointing season in 2023, finishing 76-86 and well out of playoff contention, there were some bright spots for the optimistic. The team was streaky, for one, starting the season off with an impressive 20-8 record and finishing it out with a decent 31-28 run.
While those dog days of summer put the team in the doghouse with no chance of escaping, in the end, the team did improve on their 2022 record by 14 wins; in fact, it was their best record since going 82-79 in 2018. Things are looking up, after all!
Alas, 2024 has seen no such hot start, as the team sat four games below .500 after playing 38 games. But there is reason (or reasons) to believe in Pittsburgh, and a few of the guys we’ve listed below are why it’s worth it to keep watching the Pirates this season.
Andrew McCutchen
Right field, #22
One of the more heartwarming stories of 2023 came when Pittsburgh legend Andrew McCutchen announced he would return to the Pirates after five seasons away, reaching the 2,000 Hit Club at home in PNC Park in June. As any Pittsburgh fan knows, McCutchen started his career with the Pirates, playing nine seasons with the team from 2007-’17 until he was traded to the San Francisco Giants in January 2018.
He returned in 2023, though his season was cut short due to an Achilles injury in September of that year.
McCutchen was a hero on the field for the Pirates, taking home National League MVP honors in 2012, but also off it. Having been known around the league for his long dreadlocks during his early career, in 2015, he cut them off and emerged with a fresh look. He didn’t let the ‘locks go to waste, however, as he sold them via auction through MLB’s website and donated the proceeds to Pirates Charities.
It was acts like these (and the record 100 home runs he has sent into the stands at PNC Park) that explain the heartfelt ovation he received from Pittsburgh upon returning home for this season’s home opener.
Oneil Cruz
Shortstop, #15
A 25-year-old Dominican Republic native, Oneil Cruz was the player to watch for the Pittsburgh Pirates going into the 2023 season. Then, tragically, he broke his leg sliding into home in early April and had to sit and watch his team finish in fourth place, unable to return until this year.
“After the surgery and stuff like that, my main goal is to stay healthy through the whole year,” Cruz told Sports Illustrated. “I know the other stuff will come.”
The “other stuff” is hopefully close to the production that made him a star during his second season in 2022, when he hit 19 home runs and brought 61 around the score over 87 games. If he can stay healthy through the entire year, he could double those numbers with no problem.
Mitch Keller
Starting pitcher, #23
Following the first All-Star season of his career in 2023, the Pirates signed right-hander Mitch Keller to a five-year contract extension worth $77 million over the offseason. With plenty of question marks in the rotation, they secured the ace — if nothing else. A slow start raised some eyebrows among the Pirates faithful, though he kicked off May in top form, pitching his second career complete game in a 4-1 win against the Angels on May 6.
“He came out with a different intensity than he has in the past few starts,” catcher Joey Bart said after that game. “You could kinda tell.”
As the rotation continues to evolve and work its way into a consistent form, we’ll be hoping to see more starts like that for Keller moving forward.
Ke’Bryan Hayes
Third base, #13
Coming off his first career Gold Glove season in 2023, third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes hit the ground running — and swinging — this spring, smashing a Grapefruit League-leading 21 hits during spring training. He was never just a defensive wizard, as he closed out last season hitting .307 with 13 home runs and an .862 OPS over the final 72 games.
Hayes has had a slow start this year, going 8-for-42 over an 11-game stretch in late April and early May, bringing his batting average down to a career-worst .240 for the season by the time he was removed from the lineup for a breather on May 8. Hayes has such potential on both sides of the field, however, that he is sure to get out of the slump and find his true form before too long. We’ll be eagerly watching and rooting him on while he works on it.
Jared Jones
Starting Pitcher, #37
As mentioned above, the Pirates came into this season with lots of question marks in the starting rotation. That’s why coaches had to be intrigued to see Jared Jones’ spring training performance — and now they’re breathing a sigh of relief as he’s shown he can do it when it counts, too.
After striking out 10 batters in his MLB debut on March 30, the 22-year-old has continued to be impressive, becoming the first pitcher in over a century to log 50 or more strikeouts and five or fewer walks across his first seven career starts, according to MLB’s Sarah Langs. If he keeps it up, he could compete for Rookie of the Year honors, as predicted by MLB’s Alex Stumpf before Jones had even thrown a pitch in an MLB game.
Now with fellow top prospect Paul Skenes joining Jones in The Show, those question marks are starting to turn into exclamation points, and Pittsburgh will be looking to improve their spot in the NL Central.
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