Pirates Surge Past .500 Again

The Pirates are halfway through the season and have shattered their own records — 41-40, their first time above .500 since 2015, the last playoff year. They’re fourth in the division but just 2.5 games behind a wild card spot, keeping postseason hopes alive. While they’re feeling like contenders, they know they’ve got work to do — the first half was a learning curve, and now they’re focused on stringing wins together and having fun. MVP Bryan Reynolds is on fire — reaching base 30 straight games, hitting in 15 — powering the offense. Meanwhile, Marcell Ozuna’s slump has cost him playing time. On the mound, rookie Braxton Ashcraft has been a revelation, matching ace Paul Skenes with dominant outings. But the bullpen’s been a disaster — 16 blown saves, including a gut-wrenching collapse against the Astros that cost them a big lead. Still, there’s hope: rookie Konnor Griffin, despite injury time, is making a huge impact — and his contract extension is a bright spot for the future. Evan Sisk has quietly become a bullpen anchor with a stellar ERA. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/a530c9edee4daade