It is certainly a tough time to be a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. The Pirates are in the midst of a long rebuild. After a tough 2020 season, the Pirates will be looking for improvement.
They may not be contenders this year but there are still things to look forward to in the upcoming Major League season.
2020
The shortened 2020 season was a year to forget for the Pirates. The Pirates finished 19-41 finishing last in the National League Central. To add insult to injury they had the Pirates had the worst record in MLB by a mile. There was not much success last season and this year the Pirates will be looking for some change.
Key Offseason Additions
This past offseason the Pittsburgh Pirates did make a few key additions. In Free Agency they added Trevor Cahill and Tyler Anderson to the pitching staff.
They also added former Yankee reliever Chasen Shreve to the bullpen. The Pirates also made some additions to the lineup adding veteran Todd Frazier. They also added former Nationals player Wilmer Difo to the mix.
Key Offseason Losses
The Pirates made some key moves this offseason. First off they traded Jameson Taillon to the Yankees in exchange for four Minor League prospects. After a disastrous trade with Chris Archer, everything has come full circle.
Archer re-signed with the Rays on a one-year $6.5 million. In Pittsburgh, Chris Archer went 6-12 with a 4.92 ERA. It was a tough two-year stretch where the Pirates lost this trade.
The Pirates also traded long-time Pirate Josh Bell to the Washington Nationals. In return, the Pirates got Wil Crowe and Eddy Yean. The Pirates also lost three other pitchers being Joe Musgrove, Trevor Williams, and Derek Holland. The offseason has shown that the Pirates will be starting from scratch once again.
What Can The Pirates Look Forward To?
If there is one thing Pirates fans can look forward to it is being able to go to PNC Park again. The Pennsylvania State Government announced that outdoor events can hold 50% capacity which means fans can return to PNC Park. Many Pirates fans may be wondering why they should go see the Pirates.
If there is an upside to being in a rebuild it is two things: seeing young talent trying to prove themselves and playing spoiler. The Pirates have traded many key pieces this offseason but this does not mean there is no talent. The Pirates will likely be playing many stars like Ke’Bryan Hayes, Kevin Newman, and Gregory Polanco.
The other reason to watch the Pirates is to play spoiler. In a stacked National League the possibility of upsets is there. The Pirates can be that team that can play spoiler especially when they play in the National League Central. The NL Central is completely up for grabs and since the Pirates may not be in contention they can still certainly change the division title race.
Outlook
The Pirates may not be the team everyone is watching but they are a team that may surprise. They may be the team that can be a big spoiler in the National League Central. Even though they are in a rebuild they have young talent who will look to shine in front of the Pittsburgh faithful for the first time in two years,
Even if the Pirates struggle you can at least know now that you can enjoy a game at one of the best ballparks MLB has to offer in the Steel City.
