MLB

Pirates Pitching Approach Offers Promising Challenge as National League Best in 2026

In June 2025, the Pittsburgh Pirates pitching staff’s bullpen posted a 2.48 ERA, second-best in MLB.
Pirates Pitching Approach Offers Promising Challenge as National League Best in 2026
Mitch Keller #23 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles during a Grapefruit League spring training game at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla., on Feb. 27, 2026. Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Donald Laible
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The Pittsburgh Pirates have a pitching road map for 2026 which they believe will hold up against the best hitters in the game.

Paul Skenes, dean of the Pirates’ pitching staff and last season’s National League Cy Young Award winner, gets the call as the club’s starter for Opening Day on Thursday in New York. The season’s first game for both the Pirates and New York Mets will air live on NBC and streaming simultaneously on Peacock at 1:15 p.m. ET.

Donald Laible
Donald Laible
Author
Don has covered pro baseball for several decades, beginning in the minor leagues as a radio broadcaster in the NY Mets organization. His Ice Chips & Diamond Dust blog ran from 2012-2020 at uticaod.com. His baseball passion surrounds anything concerning the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and writing features on the players and staff of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Don currently resides in southwest Florida.