Pirates gave opponents an embarrassingly simple blueprint that might've kept them out of playoffs

The 2026 season saw the Pittsburgh Pirates improve massively on offense. After finishing dead last in nearly every significant category in 2025, the Pirates finished sixth in runs scored with 767, fifth in batting average at .253, and sixth in OPS with a .734 mark.

By and large, the moves Ben Cherington made to fortify the lineup, things like trading for Brandon Lowe and signing Ryan O'Hearn, worked. But there was a trade-off. Nearly every piece that was already in place, players like Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz, who could have been offensive threats, hit left-handed. Almost all of the big boppers that Cherington brought in also hit left-handed.

That left a vulnerability against left-handed pitching. It was a weakness that was frequently exploited and was one of the biggest factors that kept Pittsburgh out of the playoffs.

Against lefties, the Pirates posted a .701 OPS, which ranked 18th. The club's 25.3% strikeout rate against southpaws was the third-worst mark in the league. There were some bright spots, like Oneil Cruz hitting .326/.374/.473 against same-handed pitchers. That was a massive improvement for the left-handed-hitting slugger, but it also came with a concerning 37.4% strikeout rate.

The one hedge that Cherington made last offseason to try and combat the problem of too many lefties in the lineup was signing Marcell Ozuna, but his .661 OPS against southpaws did nothing to help the cause, and the team was much better off once it moved on from him.

The need is clear, but how the Pirates go about attacking this deficiency has to come in a few specific ways; otherwise, we'll see the issue roll into 2027, too.

The Pirates must make multiple additions to fortify their lineup against left-handed pitching in 2027

There's an easy trap that Cherington and the Pirates can fall into. The general manager can look at his roster and believe that Konnor Griffin will stay healthy, bet on Rafael Flores Jr.'s breakout, and believe that all will be fine in the Steel City. That would be a mistake.

While Griffin and Flores Jr. are exciting, right-handed-hitting youngsters who can definitely help the cause, relying on two young players alone to carry the weight is not wise. Even if they do what we hope in 2027, it might not be enough.

Pittsburgh needs to find a big right-handed power bat for the lineup. The club needs someone who can do what it hoped Ozuna would do this year, but actually succeed. The position this hypothetical player plays is irrelevant. Simply put, getting an established righty slugger is of paramount importance.

That can't be the only addition, however. The Pirates' bench is woefully thin when it comes to impact platoon options. Filling out the unit with bench players who can work in platoon roles, serve as pinch hitters, and give Don Kelly more lineup options is important. One or two of these guys will be key and will help hedge against regression from a player like Cruz, who has performed so far above his norm against lefties that he can't be counted on to repeat that performance, for example.

Failure to make these sorts of additions will lead to more of the same. Opponents will know that if they stack their rotation with lefties, they'll have the blueprint to neutralize the Pirates' offensive attack. Pittsburgh needs to do a better job keeping them honest in 2027, and external additions will be required to accomplish that goal.

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