MLB fans shocked as Pittsburgh Pirates enter the week as the best team in the National League: "A gorgeous sight to see!"
No one saw it coming, but 23 games into the MLB season, the Pittsburgh Pirates are the best team in the National League.
There may be nearly six months left in the 2023 MLB campaign, but Pirates players aren't worried about the 139 games left to come. "One game at a time," as the age-old baseball saying goes.
The Pirates are currently in first place in the NL Central & have the best record in the National Leagueš“āā ļø https://t.co/CKQvUX8rD4
The Pittsburgh Pirates clubhouse is a fun place to be around these days. As catcher Austin Hedges told Sports Illustrated:
"Itās a winning atmosphere. Thatās what we talked about creating in spring training, and weāve been able to do that. The cool thing about it, for a lot of guys who havenāt really experienced that before, is nothing needs to change. Exactly what weāre doing right now is what we can try and do for 162. And if we do that, I believe weāre a playoff team."
Pirates fans are just going with it and living in the moment of what has been rare success for the team as of late.
A gorgeous sight to see! twitter.com/mlbonfox/statuā¦
@MLBONFOX This is Clearly Photoshopped
Never would have guessed this at the start of the season. twitter.com/mlbonfox/statuā¦
The Pittsburgh Pirates have not had a winning season since 2018 and have not made a playoff appearance since 2015. The team has long been an MLB doormat since the team's last prolonged taste of success in the early 1990s.
Beauty of baseball expect the unexpected twitter.com/mlbonfox/statuā¦
@MLBONFOX First place in the National League. Not just the central. But go on..
How tf are the Pirates 16-7?? twitter.com/mlbonfox/statuā¦
Pirates manager Derek Shelton, in his third season as the team's on-field leader, was handed a multi-year contract extension over the weekend. His contract was due to end after this season. He told MLB.com:
"I think the positivity that weāve tried to portray as a staff and the consistency that weāve tried to portray as a staff has been really important. Thereās light at the end of the tunnel, and weāre moving in the right direction, and thatās really important to me."
After two rough seasons, the results are beginning to show.
Glad to see the Pirates having some success. It's been awhile. twitter.com/MLBONFOX/statuā¦
@MLBONFOX Those numbers will regress, but it's impressive nonetheless
Is the NL Central the best conference in the mlb now??? twitter.com/MLBONFOX/statuā¦
Andrew McCutchen signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Pirates this past offseason, returning to the team with which he began his 15-year major league career in 2009. He is hitting .275 with four home runs and nine RBIs through 20 games.
twitter.com/mlbonfox/statuā¦
Wow @TheCUTCH22 return really doing something š„ twitter.com/mlbonfox/statuā¦
Pittsburgh Pirates a feel-good story for MLB
The Pirates are one of the oldest teams in the majors. Entering the league in 1882, Pittsburgh has won five World Series, with the last championship coming in 1979.