The Pittsburgh Pirates will fall short of making the 2026 postseason. The franchise does, however, have hope of finishing above .500, which, sadly, would be only the fifth occurrence since 1993. If Paul Skenes was his normal self, the Buccos might just be playing deep into October. Regardless, the starting pitching rotation still has loads of potential.
In the offseason, the Pirates retained interim manager Don Kelly. Not too long after, Bill Murphy was brought in from the Houson Astros to work with Skenes and Co. The bullpen may have let the team down, but overall, there is a foundation to build off of. That much was proven on Wednesday evening when an incredible feat was accomplished.
Pirates Break A Franchise Record On Wednesday Evening
Pittsburgh took down its NL Central rival, the St. Louis Cardinals, by a score of 2-0 on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Lake Bachar got the starter as an opener, and carved his name into a little piece of Pirates history.
In the top of the 1st inning, with a runner on second base and one out, Bachar struck out Alec Burleson. This was the staff’s 1,444th strikeout of the campaign. That number officially takes the cake for the highest in the organization’s history. The team previously set the record in 2019.
The goal was to make the playoffs; however, there are still positives to take out of the year. The pitching staff has young talent and will continue to grow. The bullpen needs some work, but the strikeout numbers only get that high when the starters are performing respectably.
There is certainly room for improvement; however, a positional group deserves recognition whenever it breaks a franchise record.
Pirates Had Plenty Of Stout Pitching Performances
One of the bright spots in 2026 was the return of Jared Jones. The right-hander had surgery in May of 2025 and found his way back to the mound just about a year later in May of 2026. He only threw 97.2 innings, but contributed 118 strikeouts in his appearances.
Skenes led the squad with 192, while Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler had 173 and 138, respectively. Plenty of relievers and other starters — like Mitch Keller — also contributed to the record-breaking total number of strikeouts.
The offseason will likely see the coaching staff working to get Skenes back on track. If he can return to his Rookie of the Year and Cy Young forms, the group as a whole could be especially dominant when, and if, the 2027 season begins.
Pirates Break Franchise Record Wednesday vs. Cardinals