Pirates News: Esmerlyn Valdez, Paul Skenes Cy Young odds, 2026 schedule advantage

Breakout Pirates prospect Esmerlyn Valdez is already winning over fans in Pittsburgh — and he hasn’t even arrived yet.

The 21-year-old slugger – whose standout performance across two levels of Pittsburgh's farm system last year earned him a spot on the 40-man roster in 2026 – took to social media this week to announce he’ll be attending PiratesFest on Jan. 24, sharing a humble, heartfelt message on social media that immediately resonated.

“Just dropping by to leave a quick message,” Valdez wrote. “I don't know if I have many fans [at] PNC, but I'll see you at [PiratesFest!] I can't wait to see you all 🏴‍☠️🫡”

It’s the kind of authenticity that endears a player to a fanbase in a hurry. Valdez, one of the organization’s fastest-rising prospects, is coming off a breakout season and is poised to be a major name in Pittsburgh’s future. Yet his tone was pure gratitude — excited, grounded, and eager to connect.

PiratesFest gives fans the chance to meet players, collect autographs, attend Q&A sessions and celebrate the franchise’s past and future. For many, Valdez’s message makes that “future” feel a little more real.

Before he ever steps onto the field at PNC Park, Valdez is already showing Pirates fans who he is — and why it’s easy to root for him.

Pirates News: Paul Skenes opens as favorite to win 2026 NL Cy Young

Paul Skenes is already setting the tone for 2026. Because of course he is.

According to the oddsmakers at FanDuel, the Pirates’ ace opens as the favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award at +250, putting him ahead of some of the biggest names in the sport. It’s a remarkable level of respect for a pitcher entering just his third major league season — and a clear sign that Skenes is no longer viewed as merely a phenom, but as the standard.

Skenes is coming off a dominant 2025 season in which he posted a 1.97 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 216 strikeouts, all among the league's best, to earn him the 2025 NL Cy Young. He's the third Pirates pitcher to win the award, joining Vern Law (1960) and Doug Drabek (1990), and the only one to win it unanimously.

The power arsenal, the poise, the spotlight — it’s all arrived faster than anyone could have imagined. Now, so have the expectations. With back-to-back Cy Youngs suddenly on the table, the bar for Skenes has officially been raised.

Pirates News: Unique scheduling quirk could end up being an advantage for Pittsburgh

The Pirates may have caught a small break before the 2026 season even begins.

According to Baseball Savant, Pittsburgh is set to log 26,839 miles in team travel this year — the lowest total in the sport. Interestingly, the next two teams on the list – the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs – also come from the NL Central, underscoring just how compact the division’s geography can be.

For perspective, the Seattle Mariners will travel a league-high 50,308 miles, nearly double Pittsburgh’s total. Unsurprisingly, all three teams with the highest travel volume in 2026 are on the West Coast.

There’s no definitive proof that reduced travel translates to wins, but less time in the air certainly doesn’t hurt. For a fanbase eager for any edge, seeing the Pirates atop this list adds another flicker of optimism for a 2026 season that just might end the playoff drought.