The Pittsburgh Pirates are looking to be a better ballclub in 2026 after finishing last place in the NL Central standings in 2025.
The Pirates made moves to boost their offense, which should help aid a pitching staff led by Cy Young award winner Paul Skenes. Bleacher Report writer Joel Reuter conducted power rankings and placed the Pirates at No. 23.
“The Pirates have made a legitimate effort to bolster their lackluster offense this winter, adding 2025 All-Stars Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, signing the latter to the largest free agency deal (two years, $29 million) in club history. They might still be a year or two away from legitimate contention, but a lineup that averaged a MLB-worst 3.6 runs per game in 2025 has undoubtedly improved,“ Reuter wrote.
The teams that ranked below the Pirates and the Power Rankings are the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies.
The Pirates are viewed as a team that is on the rise, but that’s because they didn’t have a high bar to begin with. They made some improvements this off-season, but that won’t be enough to gain them much more respect around the league. The Pirates will have to prove themselves on the field this season and outperform the expectations that have been placed upon them.
BD community, what do you think of the placement of the Pirates in the power rankings? Let us know your thoughts by chiming off in the comment section below.
