Pirates’ franchise home run record makes another October absence sting even more

The Pittsburgh Pirates spent much of last offseason trying to fix the most obvious flaw on their roster: They needed power.

They needed more legitimate threats in the middle of the order, and they needed to stop asking their pitching staff to survive every night with almost no margin for error.

So they went out and added Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn to a lineup that already included Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz. And, for the most part, it worked.

The Pirates have now hit 175 home runs this season, the most by any team in franchise history. They officially broke the previous record Wednesday night when Cruz hammered a first-pitch sweeper from Logan Henderson at 113 mph over the Clemente Wall.

Lowe followed with his team-leading 31st homer an inning later. Rafael Flores Jr. added his ninth in the sixth. All four Pirates runs in their 5-4 loss to the Brewers came via the long ball.

There probably wasn't a more fitting way for this team to make history. The problem is everything else surrounding it.

Pirates’ home run record should raise the standard, not soften another playoff miss

A year ago, the Pirates could look at their offense and very easily identify what needed to change. They finished at or near the bottom of baseball in several offensive categories and dead last in home runs. Their lack of slug was glaring.

That excuse no longer exists. This team has power. It has legitimate major-league hitters. It has a 31-homer season from Lowe, another strong offensive year from O’Hearn when healthy, continued flashes of superstar-level ability from Cruz and encouraging production from players like Flores and Esmerlyn Valdez.

The Pirates have shown talent all year. What they haven't shown is that they can turn that talent into enough wins.

Injuries were certainly a factor. Cruz and Spencer Horwitz missed time before returning after the All-Star break. Konnor Griffin and O’Hearn were unavailable for significant portions of the second half. The Pirates' offense cooled considerably as those injuries piled up, including ranking near the bottom of baseball in second-half home runs.

But the larger point remains. The Pirates actually addressed one of their biggest weaknesses from last season and still appear headed toward another October at home. That should make this franchise record more frustrating than celebratory.

The goal was never supposed to be hitting more home runs. The goal was to build an offense capable of helping a talented pitching staff reach the postseason. For stretches of this season, the Pirates looked like they had done exactly that. And yet, with the calendar pushing toward October, the standings tell the same familiar story.

The 175 home runs are evidence of real progress, but they should also eliminate one more excuse. If the Pirates bring most of this core back next season, merely being improved offensively cannot be considered enough anymore. The standard has to become winning.

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