The Pittsburgh Pirates Finish April in First Place
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Pregame Pepper
Did you know…
…the Pittsburgh Pirates have more than 10,000 wins in franchise history but have only won 100 or more games in a season twice (1902, 1909).
…the 20 wins for Pittsburgh in April set a franchise record, but in the last six playoff seasons for the Pirates, dating back to 1990, only the 1992 Pirates had a single month with 20 or more wins (September 1992).
Leading Off
April Is Over but the Pirates Are Still in First Place
By Daniel R. Epstein
3%
That was the Pittsburgh Pirates’ probability of winning the NL Central at the beginning of the season according to FanGraphs. Even 3% seemed too generous for a club that has never won the NL Central. The last time they finished atop any division their best player was Barry Bonds. They went 62-100 in 2022 and their biggest acquisition of the offseason was 43-year-old Rich Hill on a one-year, $10 million contract.
Even the most optimistic fan couldn’t have predicted the Pirates would be the first NL club to 20 wins, finishing April with the second-best record in MLB behind the Tampa Bay Rays. Their offense has been the catalyst for their inexplicably hot start. They lead the NL in runs (154), OPS (.802), and stolen bases (39). Their one legitimate star, left fielder Bryan Reynolds, has filled up the stat sheet as expected, slashing .313/.348/.566 with five home runs and five stolen bases. Several other players have come out of nowhere to post outstanding numbers. Outfielder Jack Suwinski leads the team with six home runs and a 1.069 OPS. Middle infielder Rodolfo Castro and right fielder/first baseman Connor Joe have on-base percentages of .385 and .393. Somehow, catcher Jason Delay is batting .390.
Their pitching staff has also taken several steps forward. Mitch Keller increased his strikeout rate from 20.1% to 26.8%. Veterans Rich Hill and Vince Velasquez have ERAs of 4.18 and 3.06. Youngsters Johan Oviedo and Roansy Contreras have established themselves as capable starting pitchers. In the bullpen, David Bednar has faced 50 batters, allowing just eight hits while striking out 17. He hasn’t allowed an unintentional walk or a home run yet this year. Lefty José Hernández hasn’t allowed an unintentional walk or home run either and only surrendered one run in 9.2 innings.
Their goodwill reaches beyond the field as well. Reynolds seemed destined to be dealt away after an offseason trade demand. After the club’s hot start, he signed an extremely team-friendly extension that will keep him in Pittsburgh through at least 2030. They will be able to supplement the roster with top prospects from Triple-A as needed: catcher/outfielder Endy Rodriguez as well as pitchers Luis Ortiz and Quinn Preister. Before the season, it would’ve been unimaginable to think of them as buyers at the trade deadline, but should that come to pass, they have prospect depth from which they can trade to bolster their playoff hopes.
Speaking of playoff hopes, FanGraphs now gives them a 19% shot of winning the NL Central, second only to Milwaukee. Their total playoff odds are 34.4%. On one hand, that’s probably the highest they have been since the salad days of Andrew McCutchen. On the other hand, it feels exceptionally low for the best team in the NL through the first month of the season. Time will tell how long they can keep it going, but hopefully, Pirates fans are just enjoying the ride. After so many awful seasons, they deserve it.
Daniel R. Epstein serves as Co-Director of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. He writes for Baseball Prospectus and Off the Bench Baseball.
Extra Innings
"They give you a round bat, and they throw you a round ball. And they tell you to hit it square." - Willie Stargell, Pirate HOFer
"He could field the ball in New York and throw out a guy in Pennsylvania." - Vin Scully, on Roberto Clemente
“I never wanted to be a dancer. It's true! I wanted to be a shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates.” - Gene Kelly