Ask any Pittsburgh Pirates fan about the team this season and there\u2019s likely a different tone to the conversation then years before.<\/p>\n
The Pirates finished 2025 as a 71-91 club, depressing by five wins from the previous two seasons.<\/p>\n
Don Kelly was promoted to manager to replace Derek Shelton, but the front office remained the same.<\/p>\n
It set in motion the most crucial offseason of Ben Cherington\u2019s Pirates career entering his seventh season as general manager.<\/p>\n
Cherington was the most active he\u2019s ever been and provided the Pirates with their most exciting offseason in over a decade.<\/p>\n
The Pirates added two All-Star position players and signed a designated hitter who finished 4th in NL MVP voting in 2024.<\/p>\n
Brandon Lowe, Ryan O\u2019Hearn, and Marcell Ozuna have added 69 home runs from a year ago to a Pirates lineup that only hit 117.<\/p>\n
The Bucs retained Mitch Keller, instead of trading him for a bat, and acquired relievers Mason Montgomery and Gregory Soto to their bullpen.<\/p>\n
No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin is waiting in the wings and leads the team with three home runs\u2026 as a 19-year-old shortstop who hasn\u2019t played more than 21 games above High-A.<\/p>\n
It feels different. It feels refreshing. It feels like the Pirates have a realistic chance to make the postseason.<\/p>\n
The atmosphere at spring training in Bradenton is also different, at least for Paul Skenes.<\/p>\n
Coming off winning NL Rookie of the Year and NL Cy Young the last two years, Skenes is excited for what the Pirates can do this year.<\/p>\n