The Pittsburgh Pirates had one of the worst offenses in baseball in 2024, and an insider has revealed one key reason why.
The team is loaded with young pitching, featuring a promising starting rotation led by rookie sensation Paul Skenes. However, even with a strong pitching staff, the Pirates will be severely limited without improvement in their offense.
Pittsburgh ranked near the bottom in every major offensive statistical category, leading to the firing of hitting coach Andy Haines.
So, what was the specific issue with the Pirates’ offense in 2024?
Aside from a lack of elite talent, John Perrotto of Pittsburgh Baseball Now pinpointed another major problem: a poor approach at the plate.
“The major complaint I kept hearing about Haines from people inside the organization is they felt the Pirates hitters had become too robotic and lacked aggressiveness,” Perrotto noted. He added that information overload and a heavy emphasis on working counts contributed to passivity.
Despite the focus on plate discipline, Pittsburgh ranked 17th in the MLB for walks and an even worse 26th in on-base percentage (OBP).
No Pirates hitter achieved an OPS of .800 or better in 2024, which is concerning. Bryan Reynolds led the team at .791, while Oneil Cruz followed with .773.
As a team, Pittsburgh hit only 160 home runs, with not one player reaching 25 (Reynolds had 24).
The offensive challenges extend beyond strategy. The Pirates have struggled to develop hitters within their organization. Compounding the issue, they lack the financial resources to attract top players in free agency, forcing them to rely on draft picks and smart trades.
Unfortunately, the Pirates have not succeeded in this area in recent years.
With a 76-86 record this season, Pittsburgh has not made the playoffs since 2015.
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