The best part of the MLB regular season is the first opening month or so. That’s when the sport’s slow-grinding law of averages has yet to kick in and statistical anomalies rise to the top. Things like Yermín Mercedes dominating for the White Sox in 2021 or this season’s Pittsburgh Pirates are why the first month of baseball is fun.
Despite every MLB expert predicting the Buccos to finish dead last in the NL Central, the team currently sits in first place. It’s wildly unexpected and totally unsustainable. But it is also awesome for a franchise that hasn’t had anything to cheer about since 2015. Maybe 2018 if you squint.
Seriously, the Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles tanked hard for a few years with a clear plan in place to contend down the road. The Pittsburgh Pirates are just bad and don’t really have a roadmap back to success. They have been working on building their farm system for years now and this revival has nothing to do with young players taking the next step.
Instead, a bunch of retreads and past their prime big leaguers have the side punching above its weight. Andrew McCutchen is on pace for a 20/20 season at age 36. Carlos Santana is hitting better than he has in years. Rich Hill is doing his best Jaime Moyer impression. For some reason, Vince Velasquez has put it all together. David Bednar has become one of the best closers in baseball.
Bryan Reynolds must be loving life right now. After years of being the best player on an awful team, the outfielder finally has some help. Let’s just hope he doesn’t get used to all this winning because it will not last.
The team has lost seven straight and appears to be hurdling back toward reality at an alarming pace. They had the good fortune of playing the Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies to start the year. Although Pittsburgh also took two of three from the Dodgers, so who knows what is happening.
Regardless, the hot-starting Pittsburgh Pirates are why the first month of baseball is fun. Even the worst teams can string together a few wins and give a suffering fanbase some much-needed joy.
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