The 2023 Pittsburgh Pirates: A Feel-Good Story, or a Winning Team?

4-29-23 – By Christian Wolf – @CWolfPGH on Twitter

The Pirates have been the surprise of baseball to open 2023, and truly, how has this happened?

It’s only April. The season is not even 20% of the way through, but the Pittsburgh Pirates have emerged as the early surprise of the 2023 baseball season. They’ve completed three sweeps within the first month, just one short of the four sweeps they had in the entire 2022 season. Free agent signings Carlos Santana and Andrew McCutchen have been on fire to start the season, and Connor Joe, acquired in a trade with the Rockies, has provided a start that few, if any, foresaw coming.

For many fans, it’s too early to declare this team a winner, but they also want to know if it’s time to get excited and what the potential for the Pirates this season really is. Many had the Pirates written off as a 65-70 win team, but if this early start has shown us anything, it’s that the ceiling may be a little higher than that. The wins the Pirates have gathered in this first month have not been from fluky, undeserving performances. The team as a whole has contributed to this early success. But how long can the Pirates keep this up? Can they keep this up? It’s not uncommon for teams to start hot and give the impression of a winner, and then crumble. So, what separates teams that crumble from the ones that stay successful? Well, let’s take a look.

I’m not going to get super in-depth with numbers. Anyone with two eyes watching the Pirates can see the team is playing solid, well-rounded baseball. From the starting rotation to the lineup, everyone has contributed in some way. It’s deeper than that. Way deeper than that. Having players that can hit the ball well alone isn’t why this team is winning. The playing style and culture the team has built is the core reason for this team’s success.

For instance, let’s look at Austin Hedges. The value he brings behind the plate overshadows his ugly .437 OPS. In many games, the Pirates’ ability to win has hinged on limiting damage in tight spots. Pirates pitchers are allowing opponents to bat .221 with RISP, which is the lowest in the National League, and Hedges has been the difference maker. Oftentimes, a simple mound visit dictates whether opposing teams get one run or three runs in tight situations. Johan Oviedo, Roansy Contreras, and Mitch Keller, while all very talented, have undeniably benefited from Hedges being behind the plate. He’s been in situations many other catchers haven’t, and he can navigate through trouble extremely well. And that is why Hedges needs to be in the lineup. And again, you won’t find a single person praising his offense. It’s ugly, and ugly often. But his defense wins the Pirates’ games and often goes unnoticed.

Hedges is just one of many examples that proved a high-powered offense isn’t everything. Ji-Hwan Bae? He has the ability to turn his singles into instant doubles with his speed on the bases. Carlos Santana? He’s helping the teams’ young infielders with his impressive defense at first base. Andrew McCutchen? He’s brought a veteran presence and comfort level to the locker room that players have fallen in love with. This is a team that doesn’t have a nagging worry in the back of their mind that this season doesn’t matter. They’re in it to win. Every single night.

Of course, you need a great offense to win. You need dependable starting pitching. You need a reliable bullpen. The Pirates’ offense and rotation have been outstanding to open the season and have absolutely performed well enough to win games. The paper talent on this 2023 Pirates team is solid, especially compared to the Pirates’ teams over the past few seasons. But if it isn’t clear by now, I don’t think that’s why they’ve seen so much early success.

Hedges’ experience isn’t going anywhere. Santana’s defense isn’t going anywhere. Bae’s going to be fast for a very long time. McCutchen is going to be here for the remainder of the season. And Derek Shelton, boy, if you think he doesn’t make an impact on his players, you are dead wrong. To say Shelton is loved by the team is an understatement. The culture he has built over his tenure as manager has brought more value than the average fan will ever understand. His recent extension to continue being the Bucs’ manager was a key, underrated, and necessary move to the team’s success moving forward.

And this, THIS is why I believe this early Pirates success this year is, to a degree, sustainable. The Pirates are not a World Series contender. But for this 2023 season, they don’t need to be. They need to pass several tests, and they’ve gotten straight A’s so far. They have the tools and resources outside of the world of home runs and powerful pitching to win games. Other teams have no speed. Other teams have limited experience where it matters. Some teams play for a manager they have no personal liking for.

The success in areas often overlooked are glowing. They need to glow. And the Pirates are benefiting from it. Good for the team, good for the fans, and good for Major League Baseball. I hope, both this year and beyond, Pirates’ success brings hope that Pittsburgh can be a big-league baseball town for a long time to come.