Pirates Entering Make-Or-Break Phase Of Season With Daunting Schedule
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Through 84 games, the Pittsburgh Pirates are exactly .500 at 42-42. That represents a considerable improvement over last year, when the Pirates were 34-50 at the same stage of the season.
Pittsburgh has slipped in June, however, going 10-14 this month and falling from second place to fourth place in the NL Central despite a relatively soft schedule. That's a concerning trend for the Pirates, who are entering a critical phase of their season.
Upcoming for the #Pirates, beginning tonight, are Phillies, Nationals, Braves, Brewers, Guardians, Yankees, Cubs — all teams with winning records. Extremely daunting. We should know all we need to know about the team by this time next month. Not looking good.
— Bob Smizik (@BobSmizik) June 29, 2026
Starting on Monday, their next seven series are against teams that currently have a winning record. Pittsburgh will face the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Guardians, New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs.
That daunting stretch will bring the Pirates to the week before the trade deadline. If they hold their own and are still in the playoff mix by then, they should look to buy.
If they continue to slump and fall below .500, however, they may need to consider selling depending on where they're at in the standings.
Pittsburgh's improvement this season has been encouraging, but the team still has a lot to prove. If the Pirates want to be considered playoff-caliber, they need to play like it over the next four weeks.
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