With the MLB 2026 regular season upon us, here are your staff predictions from the Bucs Dugout crew:
Ethan Coulehan
I think the pirates will win 82 games this season. Pittsburgh has upgraded their bats, which really struggled last season. Additions like Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, and Marcel ozuna will help the offense. The pitching will also be a bright spot for this team headlined by plays skenes. I think the pirates can do exactly what the reds did in 2025 which was sneak into the playoffs with around 82 wins.
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Jaiman White
I think the Pirates with the offseason moves they’ve made to improve the lineup and with the stellar pitching staff they have assembled will finish just north of .500 this year. I think their lack of defense could hold them back and may be the difference maker in the games that matter the most down the stretch. Still though, the Pirates will have their most successful season under Ben Cherington and will finish with 84 wins.
Jeremy Brener
The Pittsburgh Pirates find themselves with higher expectations compared to last season. The team is coming off a 71-91 campaign, which was five victories less than 2023 and 2024. In order to take a step in the right direction this season, the Pirates need to have a better offense. They should have that with their free agency acquisitions over the offseason: Marcel Ozuna, Brennan Lowe, and Ryan O’Hearn. They should also challenge some of the best rotations in the league with Paul Skenes leading the way. Their pitching should be enough to keep them in a lot of games, but their hitting is what will turn some of those 2025 losses into 2026 wins.
There should be an improvement from the Pirates, but it remains to be seen how much better the team will actually be. A playoff berth is not totally out of the question, considering the fact that the Cincinnati Reds were a wild card team with just 83 victories last season. That would require a 12-win boost from the Pirates, which would be significant. I imagine the Pirates will get close to that number, but they won’t quite get there. 79 wins.
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Darren Yuvan
There’s no doubt that the Bucs are improved from last year. The only question that remains is how much? The starting pitching should once again be a team strength, and Pittsburgh’s cast of new hitters should improve things offensively. I do think the bullpen is a potential struggle point, and I agree with Jaiman that team defense is another. Still, the top-notch pitching staff and more offense should be good for 10ish more wins, so let’s call this a .500 ball club. The Bucs finish with 81 wins. They miss the playoffs, but the road back to becoming a winning team starts this season.