The Pittsburgh Pirates are looking to take another step forward in their growth this season. Last year, we saw how dominant Paul Skenes could be on the mound. With their season win total being at only 77.5 wins, that would show growth if they were to potentially hit that 80-win mark. However, Pittsburgh hasn’t reached that 78-win total in the past six seasons. With that being said, this is still a young team with plenty of room to improve. With baseball season around the corner, it’s a great time to do these season-long bets. So let’s dive into this team and cook up a winning slip!
Pittsburgh Pirates Win Total UNDER 77.5 wins (-110)
Outlook on Last Season:
The past two seasons, the Pittsburgh Pirates have finished with a record of 76-86. On the bright side, Paul Skenes was exceptional in his rookie season. He started 23 games and finished with a record of 11-3. Skenes was great with a 1.96 ERA, 170 K’s, .947 WHIP, and 11.5 K’s per 9. Offensively, this team is riddled with young talent. Bryan Reynolds led the team with 24 home runs, he also had a batting average of .275 which also led the team. Oneil Cruz is one of the most exciting players in the MLB. He ended last season with 21 home runs, a .259 Batting Average, and 76 RBIs. Overall, this is a hopeful team for the next few seasons.
Offseason Moves:
In terms of offseason moves, the Pittsburgh Pirates had a few players that had big contributions on the team last year out the door. Bryan De La Cruz, Yasmani Grendal, and Aroldis Chapman left the team in free agency. Despite the ages of Grendal and Chapman, they were still contributors. Losing De La Cruz for nothing will be a key loss to look after. Is he one of the best players in the MLB? No. However, he is a 28-year-old outfielder who has potential and could have been part of the rebuild this team has been on for the past five seasons.
In terms of the additions, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed a few players that should bring in some veteran leadership and players who can contribute right away. Tommy Pham and Adam Frazier should help with the lack of offense this team has had over the past few seasons. Tim Mayza and Caleb Ferguson will help with their pitching staff. They must have better pitching to lower their runs given up total. The Pirates gave up 739 runs last season, which ranks 21st in the MLB. If they can get into the upper half, that’ll show massive growth.
Players to Look Out For:
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a fun, young, up-and-coming team. One of the key players to watch and see their growth is Oneil Cruz. With Cruz only being 25, he has so many years ahead of him and his development at the plate. His batting average has increased every season for the past three seasons. Paul Skenes is another player who will have the spotlight on him this season. With him winning the Rookie of the Year award and being a dominant pitcher, he’s entering his second season and he can be even better than last season. This team isn’t that far away from being an interesting team in the National League.
Conclusion:
Despite the Pittsburgh Pirates being a young and fun team, this team is still a few years away. I am taking the UNDER on the Pirates win total for the 2025-2026 season. They finished the last two seasons with a record of 76-86. Even if Skenes, Cruz, and Bryan Reynolds improve this season, it won’t be enough for them to pass the win total. Those three can only do so much and I don’t believe that they made enough improvement to jump their win total from the last two seasons. The Pittsburgh Pirates are going to be under the 77.5-win total for the 3rd straight season.
