The Pirates have undertaken a massive rebuild in order to get the franchise back on track and 2023 saw the next step of it. A number of talented youngsters showed up in Pittsburgh, while others broke out. The result? A 76-win season, the most by Pittsburgh in a single season since 2018. Here’s our recap of the Pirates’ 2023 season.
Related: 2023 MLB Season Recap: Milwaukee Brewers
The Offensive Numbers
| Stat | Figure | MLB Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Runs Scored | 692 | 22nd |
| Home Runs | 159 | 28th |
| OPS | .707 | 22nd |
| Whiff% | 26.4% | 19th |
| Hard Hit% | 40.4% | 13th |
The Pitching
| Stat | Figure | MLB Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Starters’ ERA | 4.88 | 24th |
| Relievers’ ERA | 4.27 | 19th |
| Strikeouts | 1,363 | 21st |
| Whiff% | 24.8% | 24th |
| Chase% | 26.8% | 27th |
The Good
The breakout star for the Pirates this past season was Mitch Keller. Yes, the second half for Keller (5.59 ERA, 1.44 WHIP) was rough, to say the least. However, the 27-year-old proved in 2023 why he was highly thought of as a prospect.
Granted, Keller’s pitch profile nowadays is different. Keller added a sweeper to his arsenal that’s proved to be a different maker. Couple that with a fastball that he can pound up and the 27-year-old’s turned into one of the game’s better strikeout pitchers.
Another positive from 2023 was that Johan Oviedo turned a corner. The 25-year-old did well through 177.2 IP and could be a building block moving forward.
Bullpen-wise, David Bednar continued to be a steady presence in the ninth inning. Dauri Moreta, Colin Holderman, and Carmen Mlodzinski were also solid.
Offensively, Bryan Reynolds and Jack Suwinski were the power for the Pirates. The duo combined for 50 of the Pirates’ 159 home runs (31.4%). Fellow outfielder Andrew McCutchen (113 OPS+) did well in his first season back with Pittsburgh and netted his 2,000 career hit this past summer.
Third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes also took a step forward with his bat. Hayes has been known as an elite defender, but the 26-year-old posted career bests in OPS (.762), home runs (15), and extra-base hits (53).
The Bad
It’s fair to wonder what 2023 could have been for the Pirates had SS Oneil Cruz not gotten hurt just nine games into the campaign.
Cruz possesses incredible power and speed and the Pirates didn’t get much production from the middle infield. Tucupita Marcano (.633 OPS) and Rodolfo Castro (.672 OPS) both provided below-average numbers, while Liover Peguero showed flashes but not tremendous results.
Then, there were the growing pains among the Pirates’ other top youngsters. Infielder Nick Gonzales posted just a .616 OPS and hasn’t regained that form that he showed back in college. C/OF Henry Davis showed some pop (17 XBH in 62 G) but he too struggled. The same could be said for Endy Rodriguez (.612 OPS).
On the pitching side of things, Quinn Priester got plenty of ground balls but also plenty of hard contact and walks. The former first-round pick owned an ERA of 7.74 through 10 outings. Roansy Contreras, meanwhile, also struggled with command problems.
What to Look For in 2024
The fruits of the Pirates’ rebuild began to make it to the Steel City in 2023. And, that trend should continue in 2024.
Anthony Solometo and Jared Jones both could make their debut and the same can be said for Paul Skenes. Skenes has elite stuff and looks like an ace in the making. Between those three, Keller, and Oviedo, the Pirates have a nice rotation in the works.
As for the bats, the fact that Bryan Reynolds is a Pirate long-term is massive. Reynolds is a steady player who’s provided 20-25 home runs on a near-annual basis. Now, it’ll be up to the likes of Cruz, Davis, Hayes, and Rodriguez, among others, to see how long it will take for the Pirates to become a contender.