The Pittsburgh Pirates are doing everything possible to deliver a competitive team to Paul Skenes in 2026, where the objective is crystal clear.
Among the key changes made this MLB offseason are the signing of free agent Ryan O’Hearn and the acquisition of second baseman Brandon Lowe in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays-both left-handed hitters expected to produce strong numbers at PNC Park.
The team bolstered its outfield by adding Jake Mangum from the Rays and the promising Jhostynxon García via trade with the Boston Red Sox, while the bullpen received a boost with the additions of left-handed relieversGregory Soto and Mason Montgomery.
They promised Paul Skenes playoff baseball – can they deliver?
That was the message from Pittsburgh Pirates team president Travis Williams, who at the end of the 2025 MLB season spoke about the offseason goals and made it clear they want to bring winning baseball back to Pittsburgh.
The goal is straightforward: reach the playoffs. “Period. End of story.“
Now, during PiratesFest on January 24 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh, fans grilled the Pirates front office on various topics. One fan asked Williams how the team plans to be held accountable in 2026.
“Well, that statement certainly has a life of its own,” Williams said. “And matter of fact, my kids told me they actually, I think a few people made shirts out of it at some point during the season.
“We meant what I said: Our goal is to make the MLB playoffs. Period. Full Stop. That is the expectation of this organization.”
Williams highlighted the internal development of the team with players like Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz, as well as starter Mitch Keller, who arrived in 2019. It’s worth noting that they need to maximize Paul Skenes’ talent before potentially losing him.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have reason to be excited about these moves, but it’s important to remember they play in one of the toughest divisions in Major League Baseball. We’ll have to wait and see whether these roster reinforcements are enough to make them playoff contenders-or if it turns into another disastrous and frustrating season for the fanbase.
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