This crucial Pirates stat makes playoff hopes feel very real

Since the start of the offseason, the Pittsburgh Pirates organization has made a concerted effort to act like a serious contender and commit wholeheartedly to legitimacy.

The Pirates clarified their entire franchise culture by standing behind Don Kelly as the team's leader moving forward. They reinforced Kelly's coaching staff with new hires, with an emphasis on strong communication. They even made an offer to Kyle Schwarber, which, though mostly ceremonial, announced themselves as willing spenders.

And spenders they showed to be, bringing in pivotal offseason acquisitions like Brandon Lowe (via trade) and Ryan O'Hearn (via free agency). Learning from past mistakes, they didn't hesitate once the season was underway to extend their latest megatalented prospect, Konnor Griffin.

When you walk, talk, and act like a winning franchise, it won't be long before you become one. Many of the earnest efforts that Pittsburgh made over the winter have already proved fruitful. Lowe and O'Hearn have both been huge hits. The vastly improved clubhouse culture has empowered a guy like Oneil Cruz to play the best baseball of his life. Tenured Pirates like Bryan Reynolds have been injected with newfound purpose and energy. Everything's moving in the right direction for this franchise.

Only four teams in baseball have six position players worth at least 1 Win Above Replacement (WAR), and the Pirates are one of them. The other teams being the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees gives you an indication of the company that Pittsburgh is beginning to keep. The Pirates have been making changes to lift themselves into the top tier of winning franchises in the sport, and the signs are already emerging that it's happening.

There's still plenty of work to be done, but the Pirates are so back

All of the above is not to suggest that the Pirates are a lock for the postseason and are among the league's three or four top teams. That's still not a reality, as Pittsburgh will be battling in the hyper-competitive National League Central all season long.

But this is a completely new and exciting Pirates situation than we've seen -- for the most part -- over multiple decades of the recent past. I haven't even spoken about Pittsburgh's impossibly talented starting rotation, which is probably the most promising element of the organization.

The Pirates have turned things around even quicker than most people expected. The near future is secure, but playoff success in 2026 is also well within reach.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow