When Bleacher Report floated its projected Pittsburgh Pirates Opening Day 2026 lineup, it probably expected debate. Instead, it delivered nightmare fuel for a fanbase already exhausted by empty promises about “payroll flexibility” and “being aggressive.”
Because if this is the vision of the future, then the future looks… painfully familiar.
Bleacher Report's projected lineup is as follows (names in bold are not currently on the roster and represent potential offseason acquisitions):
LF Cedric Mullins
1B Spencer Horwitz
RF Bryan Reynolds
DH Andrew McCutchen
2B Davis Schneider
SS Nick Gonzales
CF Oneil Cruz
C Joey Bart
3B Jared Triolo
On paper, the names look fine if you squint.