Pirates 25-year lineup, lefty & righty starters, closer
Do you agree with the quarter-century team?
PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – A quarter of the way through the century, who are the best Pirates since 2000? Here is every starting position, plus a right and left-handed starter and closer.
Catcher
Jason Kendall
· There were four seasons before 2000, but in his five seasons in the 2000s he had 185, 161, 154, 191 and 183 hits. In three of those seasons Kendall hit over .300 and twice had an OPS over .800.
Kendall added 141 doubles, 425 runs, was hit by a pitch 88 times and stole 69 stolen bases. Given the Cueto moment, it's tempting to say Russell Martin, and Francisco Cervelli had a good fan following, but it's Kendall.
1st base
Josh Bell
· Since Willie Stargell, it's been a challenge with spots of activity from Jason Thompson and Kevin Young. Since 2020 the Pirates haven't had the same starting players in consecutive years at first. Since Adam LaRoche played there three seasons ending in 2009, 13 different players have been the team's primary first basemen, the only repeat is Josh Bell. Struggling with defense, Bell did hit 105 doubles, 85 home runs, .266 average and .814 OPS. An island of disappointment, Bell is the starter, slightly over LaRoche.
2nd base
Neil Walker
· The Pittsburgh kid played multiple positions leading up to his arrival in the majors in 2009. Over seven seasons Neil Walker had a 15.8 WAR hitting .272 with a .338 on-base percentage and .769 OPS hitting 174 doubles, 93 home runs with 418 RBI.
3rd base
Pedro Alvarez
· This is an interesting call with a Gold Glover against a Home Run champ, the edge to Pedro Alvarez over Ke'Bryan Hayes leading the National League in home runs with 36 as the Bucs returned to the playoffs in 2013. He his 131 home runs in parts of six seasons, 66 of those in 2012 and '13 combined.
Over the three playoff years hit 71 homers and drove in 233 runs.
Shortstop
Jack Wilson
· This one is tight because Jordy Mercer was a steady presence on the three playoff teams, but the defense and energy from Jack Wilson gives Wilson the edge. In nine seasons, Wilson hit .269 with 217 doubles, 32 triples, 60 home runs and 389 RBI with a 21.3 WAR. On defense he had elite hands and superior range twice leading the league in assists and double plays turned.
Left field
Starling Marte
· In three years playing in left, Brian Giles had a 13 WAR, Jason Bay was the National League Rookie of the Year with a 14.4 WAR over five seasons, Bryan Reynolds is a two-time All-Star with a 10.7 WAR as a primary left fielder. You could make an argument for any of them, but Starling Marte was a difference maker on three playoff teams-in 2014 he hit .291 with 13 home runs and 30 stolen bases, 2015--.287 with 30 doubles, 19 HR, 81 RBI, 27 steals winning a Gold Glove. Overall, Marte hit .287, 192 doubles, 108 homers, 239 stolen bases during his time with the Pirates
Centerfield
Andrew McCutchen
· In the top 10 in most offensive categories in team history, Andrew McCutchen was named the National League MVP in 2013 leading the Bucs back to the playoffs for the first time since 1992.
Right field
Gregory Polanco
· What an interesting collection of Travis Snider, Lastings Milledge, Jose Tabata, Xavier Nady, John VanderWal and others. At times he looked like a newborn fawn in the field, but given his eight years at the position, longevity wins the day. Injuries derailed a number of his seasons, but hit 35 doubles with 27 stolen bases in 2015, 34 doubles with 22 homers and 86 RBI in 144 games in 2016. He drove in 81 runs in 130 games in 2018.
Designated Hitter
Bryan Reynolds
· If he had played a majority of time in right field, he would be the starter there. You could make the argument for him in left. In his seven seasons, every one has been a positive WAR except for 2025. The switch-hitter was fourth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2019, overall 168 doubles, 28 triple, 130 home runs, 450 RBI, .272 average, .347 on-base, .808 OPS
Right-handed starting pitcher
AJ Burnett
· Paul Skenes is the easy answer, winning National League Rookie of the Year and rolling right now in his second season. Gerrit Cole won 19 games in 2015 with a 2.60 ERA, 202 strikeouts and a 1.09 WHIP and was a rock on three playoff teams. AJ Burnett changed an attitude and also pitched some of the best baseball of his career. In 2012, a team that was learning how to win, he glared at an opposing batter after a strikeout and told him to 'sit the F down', but not F, the full word. He backed that up winning 35 games in three seasons with a 3.34 ERA, 532 strikeouts in 87 starts. Soon it will be Skenes, but now it's Burnett by the slimmest margin over Cole.
Left-handed starting pitcher
Francisco Liriano
· Paul Maholm and Zach Duke had extended time in the rotation, but the free agent signing of Francisco Liriano, along with Burnett and Cole made it a formidable MLB rotation. In three playoff seasons, Liriano never had an ERA over 3.38 in 86 starts. He also dominated in a pair of playoff starts in 2013, going 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 10 strikeouts in 13 innings.
Closer
Mark Melancon
· Several Pirates closers have been All-Stars (David Bednar, Felipe Vazquez, Mark Melancon, Jason Grilli, Joel Hanrahan, Matt Capps, Mike Williams) and this one is really tough as Williams had the longest tenure, Bednar led the NL in saves in 2023 with 39 and has a 3.10 ERA in 264 appearances with a 1.14 WHIP. Mark Melancon had a 1.80 ERA with a 0.92 WHIP with 130 saves in 267 games with the Pirates, 51 saves in the last playoff year. Melancon gets the nod at a position with many options.
Clint Hurdle is the manager, the easiest call other than McCutchen. He is the only manager of the time-frame to have a winning record (735-720).
