The Pittsburgh Pirates have surged to first place in the NL Central, winning 9 of their last 12 games after a rocky start. They have climbed to 11th in The Athletic's MLB power rankings, despite having one of the best records in baseball.
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Don't look now, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are one of the hottest teams in baseball.
After starting the year with three losses in their first four games, they've quickly turned things around. They're 9-3 over their lastĀ 12 games, surging to first place in the NL Central after routing the Washington Nationals on Monday.
The Pirates are also rapidly climbingThe Athletic's MLB power rankingsĀ (subscription required), improving fromĀ 13th last week to11th this week.Ā They're still not getting enough respect, however, despite being tied for the second-best record in baseball.
Levi Weaver praised Pittsburgh for its refreshing competence and aggressiveness after a decade of missing the playoffs.
"Maybe the biggest surprise is that the Pirates have spent the last six months being normal. They spent money in free agency, they called up their mega-prospect (and then extended him) without bungling the timing in any way, and then they set out to win a few baseball games this year," Weaver wrote.
The Pirates have made a lot of smart moves lately, and they're already paying off. They've built their strongest, most talented roster in years, and they're being rewarded for it.
If Pittsburgh keeps building on its hot start, it should crack the topĀ 10 of those power rankings before long.
More MLB:Ā Former World Series Champion Reveals What's Fueling Pirates Star's Scorching Start
The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently in first place in the NL Central.
The Pirates have won 9 out of their last 12 games.
The Pirates improved to 11th place in The Athletic's MLB power rankings.
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