Vibes are high as Bucs get to work in Bradenton

BRADENTON, Fla. -- One of the simplest solutions manager Don Kelly offered at the end of last season quickly became a Pirates mantra.

What did the club need to do to make the postseason in 2026?

Keep getting better.

It was a mantra the front office took to heart, shopping the market to beef up the bullpen and the offense with additions like lefty reliever and two-time All-Star Gregory Soto; playoff-tested righty José Urquidy; and a trio of hefty bats in Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn and Marcell Ozuna that combined for 69 home runs last season.

Outfielders Jhostynxon Garcia and Jake Mangum, who showed defensive and baserunning prowess in his rookie season, added to the hype.

But team chairman Bob Nutting, general manager Ben Cherington and the rest of Pittsburgh’s front office could only assemble the roster. The onus is still on the Pirates to come together, meld old and new and start 2026 on the right foot.

And that’s why the oversized portable speaker in one corner of the clubhouse at Pirate City was symbolic on Wednesday morning as it pumped out music to set the vibe.

Everything from country to rap to reggaeton got a turn, and for good reason: Even though it was the first mandatory report day for pitchers and catchers, Pittsburgh’s Spring Training clubhouse was already full to bursting with position players, too.

Maybe they rode in on a wave of optimism following the Pirates’ flurry of offseason moves. Perhaps it was the excitement of a blank slate for 2026, being able to trade the cold Pittsburgh winter for a warm stretch in the Sunshine State or a drive to pack in as much prep time as possible before the regular season.

Whatever the reason, the Bucs poured into camp early and in high spirits, taking the field for the first time this year, with full-squad workouts set to begin next week.

“I think there's always excitement going into spring,” Kelly said. “And looking at this one, the moves we've made in the offseason ... it's real. You can feel it. Guys are excited to go.”

The grass was still wet with dew as the first stretches began in the outfield, but Paul Skenes had already logged a bullpen session for the week. The defending National League Cy Young Award winner hit camp early this year as much to get a jump on the season as to make sure he’s ready to rep Team USA when the World Baseball Classic rolls around next month.

The sky is the limit again this year for Skenes, who’s entering his third MLB season after piling up honors during the first two. It’s equally hard to believe that Skenes could achieve more than that he’s peaked at age 23, and he’ll be the first to tell you that there’s still work to be done.

A league-leading 1.97 ERA and 7.7 bWAR last season were certainly nothing to sneeze at, but Skenes is hungry for a postseason, and showing up early to camp sets an example that many teammates have followed.

“We can feel however we want to, we can be excited and emotional and all that, but we've got to go out there and do it,” Skenes said. “So, we have a month and a half to build some momentum and build a culture and get to work together.”

Last year’s 71-91 record and last-place finish in the division made clear that upgrades were necessary. Three NL Central teams earned a playoff spot in 2025, and though the Bucs’ goal to become one of them this year is possible, it’s certainly not inevitable.

The Pirates were 21-29 in one-run games and were toward the bottom of the league in OBP (.305) and bullpen ERA, two areas Cherington and Co. targeted aggressively this winter.

“It's a really hard division. We know that we're going to have to be at our best to compete within it,” Cherington said. “We believe we can. I think it'll be a fun division. I think that’s not only competitive, but there's a ton of young, really exciting young players, young stars in the division. It'll be fun to be a part of.

“We’ve got to be really good to come out on top. That's our goal.”

The journey toward that goal is now officially underway, and the flood of Pirates who’ve reported early is a good sign that things are headed in the right direction.