CHICAGO - The Pittsburgh Pirates got the kind of result they had to have.
Needing to stop the slide and avoid a sweep, the Pirates edged the Chicago Cubs 4-3 in the series finale at Wrigley Field on Sept. 13. It was a much-needed answer after a 12-2 loss in the opener on Sept. 11 and a 4-3 defeat on Sept. 12 in which Pittsburgh coughed up a late lead.
The win let the Pirates close out a demanding road trip at 4-2. They had already swept the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field from Sept. 8-10, then followed that by taking one game from the Cubs to finish the trip on a positive note.
That victory pushed Pittsburgh back to .500 at 75-75, but the margin for error remains tiny with only 12 games left. The Pirates are still 5.5 games behind the San Diego Padres, who sit at 80-68 for the third NL Wild Card spot, while the Arizona Diamondbacks are 1.5 games behind Pittsburgh at 79-70.
Now comes the stretch that will decide whether this season stays alive. The Pirates return home for a nine-game homestand against the Milwaukee Brewers from Sept. 15-17, the Kansas City Royals from Sept. 18-20, and the St.
Louis Cardinals from Sept. 22-24.
Milwaukee brings the biggest test by far. The Brewers own baseball’s best record at 93-56, and Pittsburgh will need to rise to that challenge if it wants to keep pace in the Wild Card race.
Kansas City, at 66-83, and St. Louis, at 73-76, have both struggled enough that the Pirates could still make up ground if they handle those series.
After that, Pittsburgh finishes the season at Comerica Park against the Detroit Tigers from Sept. 25-27, and the club will be hoping it is still in the race by then for the final weekend of 2026.
The math is simple for the Pirates: they probably need to win most, if not almost all, of their remaining 12 games. But the schedule is only part of the equation.
They also need quality innings from their remaining starters, Bubba Chandler, Jared Jones and Paul Skenes, with Braxton Ashcraft and Mitch Keller both injured. On top of that, the club has two bullpen games to navigate, including one featuring the rookie trio of Wilber Dotel, Khristian Curtis and Antwone Kelly, and another with Lake Bachar as the spot starter before others are asked to cover the rest.
That kind of workload is a heavy ask for any bullpen, especially with postseason hopes hanging in the balance. The Pirates will also need key contributions from the late-inning group, with closer Mason Montgomery, setup man Luke Weaver and middle relievers Carmen Mlodzinski and Yohan Ramírez all expected to handle big outs down the stretch.
There is at least some help on the way offensively. The Pirates have gotten center fielder Oneil Cruz, rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin and first baseman/designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn back from injury, giving the lineup a boost around veterans Bryan Reynolds in left field, Brandon Lowe at second base and Nick Gonzales at third.
The path is still steep. Pittsburgh needs help from both San Diego and Arizona, too. But after surviving in Chicago, the Pirates at least gave themselves another week with something to play for.
In Other News...
Pirates Lose A Productive Young Bat At The Worst Time
Esmerlyn Valdez had been one of the more productive young bats in the Pirates system, so his move to the 10-day injured list lands at an awkward time for a club trying to keep options open in the outfield. The Pirates made the roster move after Valdez strained his left hamstring while running to first base, and while the injury sent him to the shelf, there is still no clear sense yet of how long he might be out.
Ronny Simon was summoned from Triple-A Indianapolis to fill the open spot on the active roster, giving Pittsburgh another utility option while it waits for more information on Valdez. For now, the concern is less about the replacement and more about what the Pirates lost, since any extended absence from a young hitter with momentum can change the look of the roster quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Need Jake Mangum Again After Another Costly Outfield Loss
The Pirates were already juggling their outfield depth, and now they have another opening to cover after placing rookie Esmerlyn Valdez on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. Pittsburgh recalled Ronny Simon from Triple-A Indianapolis to fill the roster spot, but the more immediate effect is on the alignment behind him, where Valdez had been providing a real offensive boost even while working through some growing pains.
Manager Don Kelly said Jake Mangum is expected to see more time in the outfield, a familiar sort of assignment for a player who has already stepped in for injured teammates this season. For a club trying to keep its lineup steady through another setback, Mangums ability to plug holes again could end up mattering as much as any single bat in the short term. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Top Prospects Just Moved One Step From A Title
The Pirates High-A affiliate is still playing meaningful baseball, and several of the organizations top prospects have helped keep Greensboro in the hunt. The Grasshoppers advanced to the South Atlantic League Championship Series after taking their Division Series over Frederick, with Edward Florentino, Tony Blanco Jr., Wyatt Sanford, Reinold Navarro and Levi Sterling all contributing during the playoff run.
Greensboro now gets a chance to go one step farther, with Winston-Salem waiting in the Championship Series set to begin Sept. 13. For a Pirates farm system that has been trying to stockpile both talent and winning habits, this is the kind of stage that gives young players a little extra pressure and a little more visibility, especially with so many familiar names still in the mix. [Read more 🡒]