The ideal Pittsburgh Pirates lineup when June begins

There have been a lot of frustrating Pittsburgh Pirates games this year, and that's putting it lightly. But many of those frustrating games are because of one thing: the lineup. Players who were expected to perform haven't, and the Pirates are missing their fair share of key lineup pieces. The Pirates currently have the second-worst team OPS, wOBA, and wRC+. But as we approach the first month of summer, Pirates fans are hoping the Bucs can put out a better lineup as the season heats up, like this one.

Ideal Pittsburgh Pirates lineup for June and beyond in 2025 season

Catcher: Joey Bart

Joey Bart was picked up by the Pirates early into the 2024 season. Bart took the Bucs by storm, and by the end of the season, he was their starting catcher after posting a .799 OPS, .347 wOBA, 121 wRC+, 13 home runs, and a .198 isolated slugging percentage across about a half-season worth of playing time (80 games, 282 plate appearances).

Bart has continued to hit well for the Pirates so far. It's been 135 plate appearances, but he is slashing .272/.394/.351 with a .344 wOBA and 117 wRC+. Bart is drawing a ton of walks to go with his respectable batting average. His 14.6% walk rate is the third-highest of any catcher this year with at least 120 plate appearances. Overall, the LA Dodgers' Will Smith is the only backstop with a higher on-base percentage. Surprisingly, Bart has only hit one home run with a .079 isolated slugging percentage, a significant step back from what he did in the power department in 2024.

But there's even potential for Bart to hit even better. His slugging percentage sits below .400, but his expected slugging percentage is .441. Bart is having no trouble making quality contact. He has a 90.1 MPH exit velocity and 11.1% barrel rate. Both are improvements over 2024, when he had an 89.1 MPH exit velo and 9.4% barrel rate. Bart is also in the 76th percentile of xwOBA, sitting at .364.

Bart's defense has only been passable. He has -1 defensive run saved and -1.1 framing runs. He is also only in the third percentile of poptime. On the plus side, his throws from behind the dish at an average of 83.7 MPH, which is the 18th-highest mark in baseball, and he hasn't been bad when it comes to blocking, with +2 blocking runs.

First Base: Spencer Horwitz

First base has been a problem for the Pirates for a long time. Spencer Horwitz will hopefully give the Pirates a solid solution at the position. Horwitz may have missed the first two and a half months of the 2025 season, but if he returns to the field looking anything like he did in his standout 2024 rookie campaign, he's going to be one of the most underrated players at his position.

Last season, Horwitz turned in a .265/.357/.433 triple-slash in 381 plate appearances. His overall power output was about league average, with a dozen home runs, a .168 isolated slugging percentage, and an 8% barrel rate. On top of average power, Horwitz showed off good plate discipline. He drew walks at an 11% rate with a 69th-percentile 25.7% chase rate. His whiff rate was just slightly under 20% at 19.4%, which sat in the 79th percentile, and he only struck out in 18.4% of his trips to the plate.

But Horwitz moving out of Rogers Centre could do him a lot of good. He had a respectable .712 OPS, .313 wOBA, and 106 wRC+ at home. But in road games, Horwitz saw his numbers shoot up to an .862 OPS, .374 wOBA, and 147 wRC+. According to Baseball Savant, Rogers Centre is only the 18th-most hitter-friendly park for left-handed hitters, while PNC Park ranks eighth.

Horwitz split his time between second base and first base. His glove at the keystone wasn't great, recording -5 DRS, a -5.2 UZR/150, and zero OAA. Meanwhile, over at first base, he only had -1 DRS, a +4.9 UZR/150, and +1 OAA. He's better served at first base, which is the position the Pirates will likely play him at most frequently.

Horwitz was one of the best-hitting rookies last season, ranking first among rookies with at least 350 plate appearances in OBP, third in OPS, and second in both wOBA and wRC+. Horwitz could be a .270-.280 batter, draw plenty of walks, and provide at least average power, which will give the Bucs' lineup a big boost.