MLB analyst Dan Plesac compared the Pirates' young pitching staff featuring Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler to the Atlanta Braves' legendary rotation of the 1990s. The Pirates ranked seventh in ERA last season and have added talent over the offseason.
"If I'm a Pirates fan, this is the most enthusiastic I've felt going into a season in about four or five years," Plesac said, noting the team hasn't won a playoff game since 2013 or a championship since 1979.