The Pittsburgh Pirates are looking to end a lot of droughts this season. First and foremost, they’re aiming for their first winning season since 2018 and their first playoff appearance since 2015.

Beyond that, the Pirates are also looking for their first division title since 1992 and their first World Series championship since 1979.

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Most of Pittsburgh’s players weren’t even born yet the last time the franchise won the division, which was Barry Bonds’ last season with the organization. That could be about to change, however, as FanGraphs gives the Pirates the second-best preseason chances to win the NL Central at 24.1 percent, behind only the Chicago Cubs at 44.7 percent.

The sportsbooks are less bullish, however. DraftKings has Pittsburgh at 8/1 to win the division, ahead of only the St. Louis Cardinals at 30/1.

Regardless, former Pirates catcher Michael McKenry is still optimistic about Pittsburgh’s chances.

“I don’t even think they’d be satisfied with 85 wins. I think they’re looking to win the division. I think that’s the goal,” McKenry said on 93.7 The Fan last week. “I get the understanding because we’re in Pittsburgh, we’ve had a lot of losing seasons, and we’re chasing a winning season as a culture, as a fanbase, and that’s what we fall into. But I really believe these guys are looking to win the NL Central and then build from there.”

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Much of the Pirates’ success will depend on their offense, which was the worst in baseball last year. However, they made several upgrades after acquiring Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, Marcell Ozuna and Jhostynxon Gacia, so their lineup should be considerably better this year.

If it improves to around league average and the pitching holds up, Pittsburgh could absolutely finish first. It won’t be easy in such a crowded division, but the Pirates already have the arms. If their bats step up, the sky’s the limit.

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