Pittsburgh is partying like its 2018 after Sunday’s 14-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. The 2026 Pittsburgh Pirates continue to be a roller coaster of emotions, where fans spend each week swinging between “it’s so over” and “we’ve never been more back.” After dropping a disappointing series to the Braves, the Pirates roar back this weekend and complete a 3-game sweep of their division rivals. After scoring 14 runs today (backed by a 10-run 4th inning), the Pirates move to 50-47 before the All-Star break and are the highest-scoring team in the entire sport. Jacob Misiorowski prioritized a fake exhibition game, and the Pirates jumped all over his poor replacement. Watch Doug and Dinardo break the game down in further detail here:

This Offense is Surreal

In March, if you asked any Pirates fan how they would feel if the lineup missed significant time from Oneil Cruz, Ryan O’Hearn, Spencer Horwitz, and Konnor Griffin, many would speculate worst-case scenario. However, going into the All-Star break, those players have all been hurt, and yet the Pirates have a top 3 offense in baseball. The Pirates hammered poor Robert Gasser for 7 runs over 3 innings, and that was only half of the scoring onslaught. The lineup put the series to bed for good in the bottom of the 4th when they plated 10 runners and chased Jared Koeing from the game before he could record a single out. The Pirates do everything well offensively, and this game displayed that. They hit for power; they can walk; they can get hits when they need them; and they can even manufacture triples by the speed within their ranks. This team was handed a gift when Jacob Misiorowski decided to skip town and rest, and they responded in the best way possible.

We Will Be Unfair if 7-9 Lineup Are Legit

In terms of offensive output, it has been about as bad as you could expect from the bottom third of today’s lineup. Marcell Ozuna, Jared Triolo, and Henry Davis have all struggled heavily at the plate and have all been major disappointments. This motley crew were all rocking an OPS below .500 at some point during this season and have had to crawl back from the offensive abyss. Sunday was a display of the positive regression each batter has shown as the season has gone on. The trio combined for 7 hits, 2 homers, and 7 RBI’s between them. They all now have an OPS over .600, and Ozuna especially has been hitting very well in his limited playing time since June 1st. It seems unrealistic to expect, but I for one can’t stop thinking about a Pirates team in September with 9 guys all hitting above average. The offense has been elite without these guys, but they can help take them to another level in this desperate playoff chase.

Life Often Imitates Art

Hey Brewers, how many games did you lose this weekend?