Rum Bunter’s 2018 Pittsburgh Pirates Preview: Nick

The Pittsburgh Pirates and the rest of the MLB opens their regular season schedule this week!  What should the expectation be for the black and gold this year?

In less than four days, the Pittsburgh Pirates will be on the road opening up against the Detroit Tigers.  It is one the most exciting times of the year to be a baseball fan, as teams all across the league get to start playing games that actually matter.  For the Pittsburgh Pirates, the expectations have been set relatively low by the fan base and local media.  With the departures of team stars Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole, fans expect the team to regress a good bit.

However, that might not be the case.  Although the two players who departed were the face of the lineup and pitching staff, the team has players who look ready to fill their void.  Also, the Pittsburgh Pirates were able to bring in some players to fill some of the noticeable holes on the roster.  Should the expectation really be set low?  It is hard to say, but there are definitely a lot of young and intriguing players to watch this year.  So who will be team’s MVP, CY Young, and Rookie of the Year this season?