Starkey & Mueller

Are the Pirates a playoff team? We are 10 days away from Opening Day. Poni thinks the Buccos are a playoff team, but isn’t sure if they are division-champion caliber. The guys feel like the team should win somewhere in the mid-80s, like 85 games. The Buccos shored up the offense this offseason, but what will Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz look like coming off disappointing seasons? Is Cruz still an easy scapegoat if things don’t go well? It’s the most optimism around the team since 2016, following their 3-year playoff run. The guys think they are a great bounce back candidate across the league. There is almost always a team that goes from worst-to-first. Do people believe the Pirates can make the playoffs in 2026?