PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Tis the season for hope. Tis the season for unexpected gifts. The Pirates providing a little of both with a fairly aggressive offseason added 1B/DH Ryan O'Hearn to the mix on Tuesday.
How different is this team from the last time we saw them? A comparison of the numbers, plus what one more bat could mean.
This is the lineup for the Pirates in the last 2025 game at Atlanta
· SS Jared Triolo
· 2B Nick Gonzales
· LF Tommy Pham
· DH Andrew McCutchen
· C Joey Bart
· CF Alexander Canario
· RF Nick Yorke
· 1B Rafael Flores
· 3B Cam Devanney
This was the Pirates most used lineup in 2025
· CF Oneil Cruz (.200/.298/.676, 18-2B, 20 HR, 61 RBI, 38 SB)
· RF Bryan Reynolds (.245/.318/.720, 39-2B, 16 HR, 73 RBI)
· DH Andrew McCutchen (.239/.333/.700, 22-2B, 13 HR, 57 RBI)
· C Joey Bart (.249/.355/.696, 12-2B, 4 HR, 30 RBI)
· 1B Spencer Horwitz (.272/.353/.787, 26-2B, 11 HR, 51 RBI)
· 2B Nick Gonzales (.260/.299/.661, 18-2B, 5 HR, 30 RBI)
· 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (.236/.279/.569, 10-2B, 2 HR, 36 RBI)
· LF Tommy Pham (.245/.330/.700, 17-2B, 10 HR, 52 RBI)
· SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa (.264/.300/.632, 20-2B, HR, 35 RBI)
This could be the lineup this year
· CF Cruz
· 2B Brandon Lowe (.256/.307/.785, 19-2B, 31 HR, 83 RBI)
· RF Reynolds
· DH Ryan O’Hearn (.281/.366/.803, 21-2B, 17 HR, 63 RBI)
· SS Gonzales
· 1B Horwitz
· 3B Jared Triolo (.227/.311/.667, 18-2B, 7 HR, 24 RBI)
· C Bart
· LF Jake Mangum (.296/.330/.698, 18-2B, 3 HR, 40 RBI, 27 SB)
What it means
· Adding Lowe, O’Hearn, Mangum & Triolo to the starting lineup added 32 more home runs from last year
· Including the entire roster, the Pirates hit 49 home runs from the left side in 2025, this year’s projected starting lineup hit 91 home runs from the left side
· The WAR jumps from 7.1 to 11.4
· If Konnor Griffin becomes a starter at shortstop and outfielder Jhosynxon Garcia, acquired from Boston, would beat out Mangum, the Bucs would add 42 home runs (totals in minor leagues). That would allow Mangum,who can play any outfield position, and Triolo, who can play any position, to become key reserves.
Pirates GM Ben Cherington said he wasn’t done after acquiring Lowe and Mangum in the Michael Burrows trade. One more experienced free agent bat who would compete at third base, like Eugenio Suarez-who hit .228/.824 OPS, 28 doubles, 49 home runs in 159 games, Miguel Andujar-.318 with 17 doubles and 10 home runs in 94 games last year, Ramon Urias-.241, 17 doubles, 11 home runs in 92 starts with Houston, Yoan Moncada-.234, 13 doubles, 12 home runs in 73 starts.
The numbers show it, it’s been a transformation. The Pirates have had its most positive, impactful offseason in a decade.
There’s still room for a little more.