Projected Pirates' lineup after Ryan O'Hearn move will have Paul Skenes smirking

What a difference an offseason makes. The Pittsburgh Pirates have gone from a historically bad lineup, one that ranked in the absolute cellar in runs scored (583), home runs (117), and OPS (.655), to a group that is showing signs of competency.

Acquiring Brandon Lowe was a masterclass in resource utilization, bringing in a legitimate 30-homer threat to bat from the left side for a team that desperately needed an infusion of pop. In signing Ryan O'Hearn, the Pirates get an offensive jack-of-all-trades who brings contact, on-base, and the occasional power surge to the table.

Those two moves, plus the young guys potentially breaking through, has helped build a group that is not only an improvement from last season, but a force that can strike fear in the hearts of opposing pitchers. With a pitching staff already in place that's one of the better units in the league, Pittsburgh hurlers ranked seventh in baseball with a 3.76 ERA in 2025. This is starting to shape up to be a team that could (gasp!) win ball games.

Projecting the Pirates' lineup after the Ryan O'Hearn signing

In this alignment, you get a little bit of everything. Spencer Horwitz settles at DH because O'Hearn is the better glove at first base. He'll bring solid on-base skills thanks to the well-above walk rate of 10.8% he's posted so far in his young career, a near mirror image of the 10.7% mark he recorded in 2025.

O'Hearn's varied skill set fits perfectly in the two-hole. You don't love doubling up on lefties at the top, but O'Hearn didn't have much of a platoon split in 2025, batting .281 against righties and .278 against lefties. He unleashes his power more against southpaws, posting a .474 slugging percentage against same-handed pitchers versus a .427 mark against righties.

Bryan Reynolds breaks up the monotony as a switch-hitter, and while you might want a stronger overall bat in the third spot, a return to his career norms would make him a viable option. From there, Lowe can lean into his power in the cleanup spot.

Joey Bart batting fifth is where we're thrown our first curveball. If he slugs as he did in 2024 when he posted a .462 SLG, he's a fine option, but if his power showing is like his anemic .340 mark in 2025, the Pirates are in for some trouble. Bart's best-case scenario is bringing that power forward and combining it with the 12% walk rate he recorded last season.

Oneil Cruz will try to match his potential with production for the sixth spot. Continuing the trend, he should keep the line moving at a decent enough clip thanks to his high walk rate, and if he can figure out how to attack fastballs earlier in the count to tap into his immense power while still racking up the free passes, the Pirates might finally see him morph into the superstar they've always imagined him to be.

Konnor Griffin making the Opening Day roster and starting at shortstop shouldn't raise eyebrows. The possibility of this coming to fruition is on the Pirates' radar, and the upside compared to Nick Gonzales is just too tantalizing to pass up.

Jared Triolo holding things down at the hot corner is the first place where you can't truly talk yourself into this working out. Pittsburgh's lack of impact bats from the right side begins to show, and if you're going to have a player like Triolo in the lineup, you'd prefer he bat ninth. The Pirates, unfortunately, don't have that luxury, though perhaps the club has another splash up their sleeve, like Kazuma Okamoto, who could add the much-needed impact from the right side while taking over third base duties.

Jake Mangum can create chaos thanks to his 89% zone contact and 91st percentile sprint speed. He might ultimately take a back seat and slide into the role of fourth outfielder in favor of Jhostynxon Garcia, but for now, his switch-hitting presence adds balance to the lineup.

Ultimately, this is a much-improved group, though it does feel like it is a piece or two away from being truly fearsome. A right-handed power source is the biggest thing that is still lacking, and if the Pirates can find one of those, watch for them to start being a sneaky dark horse pick for an NL Wild Card spot.