The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the middle of a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park, and with the All-Star Game set for July 14 at that same ballpark next year, the setting fits the moment. Pittsburgh sits at 43-43 and 2.5 games out in the National League Wild Card race, with a real opening to keep pushing. That success has come from a mix of offense and starting pitching, helped by some outside additions but mostly driven by internal growth.
That’s why four Pirates stand out as All-Star candidates.
Bryan Reynolds has been right in the middle of it. The left fielder closed out June with a strong .293/.386/.525 line and a .911 OPS, piling up 29 hits in 99 at-bats with eight doubles, five home runs, 14 RBI and 14 walks against 26 strikeouts.
June has been a familiar launch point for him over the years, too; in his career during that month, he has hit .323/.395/.552 with a .947 OPS. After a slow start in 2025, Reynolds has turned things around and become a key piece of a lineup that can go toe-to-toe with some of the best in baseball.
Overall, Reynolds is hitting .282/.398/.466 with an .864 OPS in 86 games. He has 87 hits, 20 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 52 RBI and 56 walks to 81 strikeouts.
His best month this season was actually May, when he batted .313/.422/.510, and the consistency has carried through the summer. The plate discipline jumps off the page: his 56 walks rank third in the NL and seventh in baseball, his .398 on-base percentage ranks third in the NL and sixth in baseball, and his .864 OPS ranks 14th in the NL and 22nd in baseball.
Those 56 walks are also tied for fourth-most in a season in his career. Reynolds has done enough to merit his third All-Star nod.
Brandon Lowe has given the Pirates exactly the kind of pop they wanted when they acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays this offseason. The second baseman is slashing .239/.313/.502 with an .815 OPS in 79 games, with 74 hits, 19 doubles, 20 home runs and 57 RBI.
His 20 home runs lead the Pirates, rank tied for fourth in the NL and tied for ninth in baseball. He also ranks 17th in the NL and 25th in baseball with a .502 slugging percentage, while his 57 RBI are tied for fifth in the NL and tied for 10th in baseball.
Lowe has kept the power coming all year, with three homers in March, five in April and six apiece in both May and June. He has been the most dangerous power bat at second base and has made a strong case for an All-Star spot.
On the pitching side, Braxton Ashcraft has looked like a starter who belongs. In his first full season in the rotation, the right-hander has gone 8-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 17 starts, working 102.2 innings with 115 strikeouts, 23 walks, a .232 batting average allowed and a 1.08 WHIP. He has also delivered 10 quality starts, tied for sixth in the NL and seventh in baseball.
Ashcraft’s mix has made him tough to handle, with velocity from his four-seam fastball and sinker and sharp offspeed work from his curveball and slider. He could use another strong outing to really lock in his All-Star case, but he has already shown he can handle a major league rotation at a high level.
Paul Skenes hasn’t been quite as untouchable as he was in his first two major league seasons, but he remains dominant. The ace is 6-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 17 starts, with 93.0 innings pitched, 114 strikeouts, 20 walks, a 0.97 WHIP and a .205 batting average allowed. His last eight outings have been rough, with a 4.40 ERA and no wins, a stretch shaped by long innings and a lack of run support.
Even with that skid, Skenes still sits among the best pitchers in baseball, especially by advanced metrics, and his early-season work showed just how high his ceiling still is. He opened 2026 at 6-2 with a 1.98 ERA in his first nine starts, then followed the Opening Day outing against the New York Mets at Citi Field on March 26 - when he allowed five earned runs and didn’t get out of the first inning - by posting a 1.09 ERA over his next eight starts. A couple more strong turns could help him get back to that level, but he’s still very much in the ace conversation.
In Other News...
Pirates Dream Trade Comes With One Massive Catch
The idea of the Pirates swinging big for Adley Rutschman has all the appeal of a true deadline dream. If the Orioles decide the catcher is available, Pittsburgh would be looking at a player with a proven offensive track record and the kind of defensive reputation that can change the feel of a pitching staff. Former Pirates infielder Josh Harrison has already weighed in on the fit, and journalist Noah Hiles has pointed out why the fit makes sense for a club that has spent years searching for stability behind the plate.
The catch is that this is not the kind of trade to treat as a simple star-for-prospect swap. Rutschman is still in arbitration, which means his value does not stop at this summer, and any deal would likely come with a steep cost in young talent. The Pirates also have their own catching picture to sort through, with Endy Rodrguez offering offense and Henry Davis still searching for more at the plate, so adding Rutschman would reshape the depth chart even before the price tag comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Suddenly Have A Paul Skenes Problem They Can't Ignore
Paul Skenes has gone from overpowering opposing lineups to looking alarmingly human, and the latest stumble only sharpened the concern inside a Pirates rotation that has leaned on him heavily. In his most recent start, he was tagged for eight runs in four innings, a harsh line for a pitcher whose fastball has long been the headline. Even more jarring, the velocity has backed up from the premium power he showed earlier in the season, the kind of drop that immediately gets attention in Pittsburgh.
The Pirates now have to decide how seriously to treat what they are seeing and how much risk they want to take on with one of the most important arms in the organization. A closer look at his workload and condition is clearly on the table, and any delay in finding answers only increases the pressure on the rest of the staff. If Skenes cannot get back on track quickly, the ripple effects could be felt by Bubba Chandler, Jared Jones, Braxton Ashcraft and Mitch Keller, all of whom would suddenly matter even more. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Are Sending A Big Message With Konnor Griffin At Shortstop
Konnor Griffin is easing back into the Pirates lineup in a way that says plenty about how the club views his place on the infield. After a rehab assignment and a quick return to the majors, Griffin has already shown he can help offensively, and hes set to start at shortstop for a second straight game against the Phillies as Pittsburgh keeps giving him more responsibility.
Manager Don Kelly said there is a plan to build Griffin back toward playing every day at shortstop, which makes these starts about more than just filling a spot for the night. Griffin has already chipped in with a leadoff homer and other useful contributions since coming back, and the next step is seeing whether the Pirates are ready to lean on him more consistently as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]