Pirates Bats Come Alive Amid Frustrating Start to 2025 Season
After stumbling out of the gate with one of the league’s worst offenses, the Pittsburgh Pirates are finally showing signs of life at the plate. A team that sat dead last in Major League Baseball with a .192 batting average through its first 16 games has turned a corner during a six-game road trip out West. After starting 5-3, the team lost 12 of their next 15, dipping down to a season-worst 8-15 following the Cleveland series. Pittsburgh has been treading water since at 11-18, but with more stable lineup play and key contributions from veterans, the Pirates suddenly look like a team capable of putting runs on the board. Their .289 batting average during the two-series stretch against the Angels and Dodgers led all of baseball, a sharp turnaround from their early-season struggles.
Veteran Andrew McCutchen, who has long been the heartbeat of the clubhouse, had voiced his frustrations with the constant lineup changes earlier in the trip. His call for consistency didn’t fall on deaf ears, as manager Derek Shelton deployed the same batting order in four straight games. That group, led off by Oneil Cruz and followed by Bryan Reynolds, McCutchen, Enmanuel Valdez, Joey Bart, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Adam Frazier, Tommy Pham, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa responded by hitting a collective .319. It wasn’t just about batting average; it was about sustained quality at-bats and better run production from top to bottom.
Cruz has proven to be a spark plug at the top of the order, hitting .333 with three home runs and six RBIs during the trip. McCutchen, who has historically started slowly in April, posted a .375 average with two homers and four RBIs, including a perfect four-for-four day in the finale against the Dodgers. Though Reynolds and Bart cooled off during the weekend series in L.A., their earlier contributions in Anaheim helped spark the offensive turnaround. Even the bottom of the order played its part, with Frazier, Pham, and Kiner-Falefa combining for a .386 mark and consistently getting on base.
Despite dropping three of the six games, including two close contests against the Dodgers, the Pirates showed they can compete with power-heavy teams. The challenge now is maintaining this offensive rhythm as they return to PNC Park for key matchups against the Cubs and Padres. McCutchen cautioned against overreacting to a hot week, emphasizing the importance of staying steady and building off strong at-bats. With improved consistency in the lineup and contributions throughout the roster, Pittsburgh hopes this surge is a sign of better days ahead in what has otherwise been a frustrating start to the 2025 season.
