The Pittsburgh Pirates are gearing up for a potentially explosive 2026 season, a stark contrast to their struggles just a year ago. In 2025, the Pirates’ offense was among the least effective in baseball, with a team batting average of .231, ranking 28th overall. Oneil Cruz led the team with just 20 home runs, the only Pirate to reach that mark, while the team as a whole scored the fewest runs in MLB with 561 and hit only 117 home runs.
Even with pitching talent like Paul Skenes, who captured the National League Cy Young with a 1.97 ERA and 216 strikeouts, the Pirates couldn't capitalize due to their offensive woes. Skenes’ remarkable 7.7 bWAR season was overshadowed by the team's inability to support him on the scoreboard.
However, the Pirates are entering 2026 with newfound potential in their lineup. Cruz, now 27, is in his prime and poised to possibly hit 30 home runs for the first time.
Joining him are offseason acquisitions Marcell Ozuna and Brandon Lowe. Ozuna, just a couple of seasons removed from a 39-home run campaign, brings experience and power despite a slight decline in bat speed.
He still managed to hit 22 homers last year.
Brandon Lowe, who belted 31 home runs last season, could benefit from PNC Park’s favorable conditions for left-handed hitters. He’s already made a strong start, launching two homers on Opening Day against the Mets.
Adding to the mix is rookie prospect Konnor Griffin, who could provide additional power once he joins the roster. With Cruz, Ozuna, and Lowe, the Pirates have the potential for multiple players to reach the 30-home run mark, a feat not seen in Pittsburgh since Josh Bell's 37 homers in 2019.
If two players achieve 30 home runs this season, it would be the first time since 2012, when Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez reached that milestone together. While nothing is certain for a franchise that hasn’t seen a winning season since 2015, the Pirates have assembled a lineup that could break some of baseball’s longest-standing power droughts and make history in the process.