Pirates Earning Respect From Rival After Impressive Series Win

(Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

We have to give credit where credit is due, and that's exactly what the Pittsburgh Pirates deserve. Winners of a three-game set against a very good Milwaukee Brewers team, Pitt has to feel very good about what it did.

This was another impressive series for a Pirates team that has proven throughout the early stages of the campaign that not only can they be competitive, but that they have an opportunity to make the postseason and possibly make a run.

But for the Pirates, it seems like this series meant even more. They had a chance to sweep on Sunday but failed, losing 5-0. Regardless, the Pirates won a series in Milwaukee, and players in the clubhouse certainly understood how big of a deal that really is, considering they hardly ever do it.

“Huge. I mean, there’s quite a few of us that have been here [a while]. I honestly don’t remember the last time we won a series here,” said starter Mitch Keller, who tossed five-plus innings of three-run ball. “It feels really good, especially going in tomorrow with a chance to sweep. It’s always huge,” he said, per MLB.com.

The success to start the 2026 campaign has largely been due to adding more talent, but there's something to be said about guys buying into what Pittsburgh is looking to build its organization up to.

“I think we’ve seen it so far. … That gritty, dirtbag ballplayer,” manager Don Kelly said of his team’s play. “That Pittsburgh identity of grit and grinding out at-bats, games, pitches, and we’ve shown that so far this year. Being resilient, coming back, being able to bounce back after some tough losses. That’s what it’s going to take throughout the season, showing up every day with that attitude.”

It's also good to hear that the Pirates are getting more respect around the league, as skippers and players around baseball are starting to take this squad a lot more seriously than they typically do.