Starkey & Mueller

There is more optimism around the Pirates than there has been in roughly a decade. We have seen them make some moves between now and then, but going into the season, the team has the reigning Cy Young winner, the top prospect in all of baseball and added nearly 70 home runs this offseason. Chris thinks even the most pessimistic of fans have to acknowledge that the Pirates are better, at least on paper, than they have been in the last several seasons. Chris wants to see a massive jump after the team won just 71 games in 2025. It got better under Don Kelly, but they still weren’t a .500 team under his watch. Would it be a disappointment if they don’t make the playoffs? The potential work stoppage in 2027 should be scary. Chris won’t be satisfied with a .500 season – he wants a playoff berth.