Pirates' bizarre All Star snub actually validates their biggest strength

The Pittsburgh Pirates enter the All-Star break tied with the Washington Nationals for the most runs-per-game in baseball this season. It's a remarkably steep increase from the 2025 season, in which they featured one of the worst offenses in all of baseball.

Ben Cherington (and Bob Nutting for opening his wallet) deserve some credit for this, having acquired the likes of Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn, the latter of whom is fresh off a three-homer, 10 RBI night against the Atlanta Braves last week.

Yet, despite the second coming of the lumber company in 2026, this Pirates lineup features zero NL All-Stars. On the surface, it makes no sense. But as it turns out, the lack of Pittsburgh representation on the National League bench actually showcases a Pirates strength, rather than a weakness.

Pirates lineup depth (and lack of stardom) is a strength

Injuries to Spencer Horwitz, Konnor Griffin and Oneil Cruz haven't helped matters, but to their credit, the Pirates lineup hasn't missed a beat with many of their household names on the injured list.

Horwitz was replaced by O'Hearn at first base, who moved there from his usual corner outfield spot. With Griffin out, Pirates fans can expect to see a lot more of Jared Triolo, for better or worse (he has a .608 OPS). And with Cruz missing significant times, Jake Mangum — who was acquired in the Lowe trade with the Tampa Bay Rays — has flourished.

Pittsburgh's next-man-up mentality, at least offensively, has paid dividends, while their lack of a true star (at least until Griffin becomes one) has given Don Kelly the freedom to move around his chess pieces when faced with adversity.

The Pirates have discovered depth in places they least expected, whether it be Endy Rodríguez finally establishing himself as the starting backstop before his injury, or even Esmerlyn Valdez carving a roster spot out of stone. Valdez began his big-league career by homering in four straight games, and he enters the All-Star break with a 1.084 OPS and 10 home runs through 28 games.

Pirates strength allows them to address a weakness at the MLB trade deadline

While the Pirates lineup offers them flexibility, the bullpen is the exact opposite. The lack of options at the tail end of games has forced the Pirates to outscore opponents. They cannot be counted on to hold a lead.

The Pirates have lost seven games when scoring seven or more runs this season. They've also blown the most leads in the National League. The once-stable Gregory Soto has been unreliable of late. Hunter Stratton isn't the answer, and neither is Brandon Eisert. The Carmen Mlodzinski experiment has also hit some speed bumps along the way. You get the picture, no?

Cherington can either trade from a position of depth — swapping MLB-caliber hitters for relief help — or deal from the Pirates 12th-ranked farm system per Baseball America. Either way, it's clear the lineup isn't the problem, despite some recent injury concerns.

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