After a rough 2019 season, the Pirates entered the 2020s facing a clear rebuild. Now, a little over half a decade later, that rebuild finally looks like it might be coming to an end. The Buccos added a number of bats this offseason, boast the top prospect in baseball in Konnor Griffin, and may have the most exciting young pitching staff in the league, led by Paul Skenes.
With a new era on the horizon, let’s look back at some of the standout moments that gave fans plenty to cheer about during a few otherwise difficult seasons.
Ke’Bryan Hayes Dazzles in Debut — September 2, 2020
The 2020 season was a tough one. The Pirates posted a .317 win percentage in the COVID-shortened year, with a roster that forced fans to dig deep for optimism. But there was one undeniable bright spot: longtime top prospect Ke’Bryan Hayes made his major league debut, and immediately looked like a cornerstone.
In his first game, Hayes homered, doubled, and flashed elite defense at third base. Remarkably, he became the first National League player since Willie McCovey to record two extra-base hits and score three runs in his debut. The Pirates may have lost that night, but it felt like the organization had found its future.
Oneil Cruz’s Electrifying Debut — October 2, 2021
Even with an up-and-down career so far, Oneil Cruz has delivered some of the most jaw-dropping highlights in baseball, and it started immediately.
By the end of his very first MLB game, Cruz had recorded:
- The fastest sprint speed by any Pirate that season
- The hardest throw by any MLB player that year
- The hardest-hit ball ever recorded by a Pirate
He has since topped all of those numbers, but that debut left Pirates fans and much of the national media in disbelief.
Jacob Stallings’ walk-off grand slam versus Edwin Diaz and the Mets was also a close second here.
Suwinski’s Three-Homer Father’s Day, Capped by a Walk-Off — June 19, 2022
Father’s Day 2022 became unforgettable—especially for Jack Suwinski’s dad, who was in attendance to witness the best game of his son’s career.
After launching two home runs earlier in the game, excitement built around the ballpark amid news that top prospect Oneil Cruz could soon rejoin the club. With the Pirates leading in the ninth, closer David Bednar—dominant during that stretch—allowed a rare game-tying run.
Suwinski picked him up in storybook fashion, blasting a walk-off homer, which was his third of the day. He became the first rookie in MLB history to hit a walk-off home run in a game in which he had already hit two others.
Carlos Santana’s Walk-Off and the City Connect Turning Point — June 30, 2023
Before this game, the Pirates’ City Connect jerseys were… controversial. Not everyone loved them. That changed quickly.
Trailing the rival Brewers 7–3 in the seventh inning, the Pirates rallied to pull within one run down to their final out. Veteran first baseman Carlos Santana stepped to the plate and launched a dramatic walk-off home run out of the stadium.
As the broadcast booth erupted, Santana danced the entire way down the third-base line before being mobbed at home plate. The win pulled Pittsburgh within a few games of the division and created one of the season’s most joyful highlights—even if the club later sold at the deadline.
That season also featured the emotional debut of Drew Maggi, a 14-year minor league journeyman who finally reached the majors and delivered two hits during his brief call-up, earning nationwide attention.
PNC Park Literally Runs Out of Fireworks — July 5, 2024
Nearly two months into the Paul Skenes era, the rookie phenom was having what counted as a “rough” outing—he allowed two runs by the fourth inning against the Mets.
It didn’t matter.
The Pirates’ offense exploded for seven home runs in a 14–2 rout the day after Independence Day. Rowdy Tellez and Bryan Reynolds each hit multiple homers—including grand slams—and by the final blast, PNC Park had completely run out of fireworks.
You can’t blame the staff: the Pirates hadn’t hit that many home runs in a game in 77 years. The night felt like a statement and helped spark a stretch that led to the club buying at the trade deadline for the first time since 2018.
Pirates Sweep Mets and Cardinals at Home — July 2, 2025
After falling to 32–50, the Pirates desperately needed momentum. They got it in emphatic fashion.
Over a six-game homestand against the Mets and Cardinals, Pittsburgh delivered one of the most dominant stretches in franchise history:
- They outscored the first-place Mets 30–4 in a three-game sweep, highlighted by a four-hit game from Henry Davis and a two-homer performance from Oneil Cruz.
- They followed by sweeping St. Louis, with Andrew Heaney, Paul Skenes, and Mitch Keller each throwing at least five scoreless innings while the bullpen finished the shutout in each game.
The final tally was a staggering 43–4 run differential across six games, which was one of the best such stretches in modern MLB history. For a fan base that had waited patiently through the rebuild, it felt like a glimpse of what this team could become.
