Despite back-to-back seasons with the same record, Pirates fans still have much to be thankful for.
Thanksgiving is the greatest day of the year to give thanks for everything we have and appreciate.
Despite a second consecutive season finishing 76-86, the Pittsburgh Pirates have much to be thankful for.
Outside of the best ballpark in America, a rich tradition, and a team that has potential to take a significant step in 2025 – if supplemented by a few additions – three things significantly stand out with the 2024-25 Pirates.
Paul Skenes
Let’s start with the obvious. Paul Skenes is the greatest thing to happen to the Pirates organization since Andrew McCutchen was drafted in the mid-2000s and the 2013 NL Wild Card Game.
Skenes delivered the best rookie season by anyone in team history, and arguably the greatest rookie campaign in Pittsburgh sports history. His 1.96 ERA in 23 starts rivals numbers not seen in over 100 years. The National League R of the Year and NL Cy Young finalist struck out 170 batters and pitched two no-hitters beookiefore being pulled. Think about that for a second.
If you had sat around your Thanksgiving table with your family last year and projected how Skenes would pitch, no one could’ve predicted it to be this dominant.
Skenes went from being drafted number one overall to starting the All-Star Game in one year. He throws 100 miles an hour with a mustache that captivates the nation. The Pirates only have a limited time with Skenes before the inevitable happens. I don’t even want to think about it. They need to take full advantage of the time that they have the best pitcher in the world while he is a member of the beloved franchise.
The Starting Rotation
Starting pitching is the main core of the Pirates in the next five years. It’s a great place to start. Skis, Jared Jones, Mitch Keller, and Luis Ortiz form a formidable front of the rotation the Pirates can depend on to win games. Yes, they need their bullpen to be considerably better. Yes, they need to add a couple of bats underneath the tree in a month. But the basis for winning in baseball always was and always will be starting pitching. The Pirates are well on their way.
The starting rotation is the main position group to be thankful for. Factor in Bubba Chandler, Thomas Harrington, and Braxton Ashcraft knocking on the door of making their major league debut and the Pirates could possess a top-five staff in the sport.
Jones looks like a front-of-the starter and Keller remains a solid arm who no longer has to be depended on as the main guy in the rotation. Keller has to become more consistent, especially later in the season where he’s struggled and statistically doesn’t perform as well as at the start of the year. If Jones can remain healthy and keep his velocity up, he’s a legit Robin to Batman in Skenes.
The Pirates might end up trading from their starting pitching depth to add considerable hitters that will make a difference. Regardless, the Pirates position well to become one of the best staffs in the National League.
Andrew McCutchen
Although he’s not yet signed for 2025, it feels like a forgone conclusion Andrew McCutchen will be back for another season. Will it be his last in black and gold and last in professional baseball only time will tell.
When McCutchen re-signed with the Pirates out of nowhere without anyone even thinking it was a realistic possibility, it felt like a piece of my childhood came back to present time. I was at McCutchen’s final home game at PNC Park before he was traded to the San Francisco Giants. I sat in the outfield, just a few rows away from McCutchen in center with a sign that said “If this is it, thanks for the memories.” I was at his first game back at PNC Park as a member of the Giants. All Pirates fans should be thankful that wasn’t the last time Cutch wore a pirate uniform.
He’s not the MVP player and solid defender he was when guiding the Pirates to three consecutive playoff appearances, but McCutchen has established a culture in the clubhouse that was in desperate need of rearrangement. He’s a consistent on base threat and approached 20 home runs this season. McCutchen needs to ideally improve his batting average from the .230s and deliver more clutch RBIs for the Pirates to take the next step over .500. The fact that McCutchen still is, or at least going to be, an important part of the Pirates makes me thankful.
We can all agree the Pirates need to make critical additions to the current club to become legitimate and tenders in 2025. But what we can also agree is that we should be thankful for Paul Skenes, the starting rotation, and Andrew McCutchen for laying the groundwork to take the next step towards making the Bucs viable once again. So have some turkey, and eat pumpkin pie and be thankful for some of the good things surrounding the Pirates.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Bucs Dugout.