What is the Pittsburgh Pirates record in 2026?

The Pittsburgh Pirates are 61-66, 4th in the NL Central.

Who is pitching for the Pirates today?

Braxton Ashcraft (12-5, 3.82 ERA) vs Keider Montero (9-7, 3.22 ERA). First pitch at 06:40 PM EDT.

What channel is the Pirates game on today?

Today's game airs on SportsNet Pittsburgh, Detroit SportsNet. First pitch at 06:40 PM EDT.

Pittsburgh Pirates News & Updates

August 18, 2026

The Pittsburgh Pirates were 61-66, 4th in the NL Central. Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Pirates were outplayed by the Detroit Tigers 5-8 at PNC Park.

Pirates Daily Vibe Check

55°

▼8

Lukewarm

last night's loss

Balanced, and not in the fun way. A loss by 3 last night and the vibes reflect it. Counterbalancing that, a +6 run differential over the last 7. They're winning the math.

Share your team's vibe check · smallballnews.com

Pirates Game on August 18

Opponent:	Detroit Tigers (61-64)
Location:	PNC Park
First Pitch:	06:40 PM EDT
Pitching Matchup:	Braxton Ashcraft (12-5, 3.82 ERA) vs Keider Montero (9-7, 3.22 ERA)
TV Broadcast:	SportsNet Pittsburgh, Detroit SportsNet
Forecast:	☀️ Clear sky, 75°F, Wind 2 mph

Pirates Score & Recap

Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Pirates were outplayed by the Detroit Tigers 5-8 at PNC Park.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
	2	2	0	0	1	3	0	0	0	8	14	2
	0	0	0	0	1	4	0	0	0	5	6	1

Highlights

Nick Yorke went 2-4 with 3 RBI.

Pirates Record & Standings

NL Central

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	STRK
Brewers	77	48	.616		W2
Cubs	73	53	.579	4.5	W1
Cardinals	64	62	.508	13.5	L1
Pirates	61	66	.480	17.0	L1
Reds	60	65	.480	17.0	W1

Pittsburgh Pirates are 3-4 in their last 7 games, with a +6 run differential.

Pirates Player Stats & Leaders

Batting Leaders

Player	HR	AVG	OPS	RBI
5 Brandon Lowe	26	.254	.797	79
10 Bryan Reynolds	15	.261	.801	65
55 Esmerlyn Valdez	14	.254	.916	41

Pitching Leaders

Pitcher	W-L	ERA	WHIP	IP
46 Mason Montgomery	4-3	3.54	1.14	48.1
18 Luke Weaver	2-1	2.30	0.89	47.0
49 Yohan Ramírez	6-3	3.03	1.30	68.1

Hot Hitters

Player	Streak
5 Brandon Lowe	5 hits, 2 RBI, .417 AVG in last 3 games
38 Nick Yorke	4 hits, 6 RBI, .364 AVG in last 3 games

Hot Pitchers

Pitcher	Streak
35 Braxton Ashcraft	9.0 IP, 10 K, 1 ER in dominant recent start
46 Mason Montgomery	2.1 scoreless IP, 6 K in 3 recent games
31 Gregory Soto	3.0 scoreless IP, 4 K in 3 recent games

Pirates News

The Pittsburgh Pirates are gearing up for a pivotal three-game series against the Detroit Tigers tonight, fresh off a strong 8-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Perhaps the biggest news is the return of Oneil Cruz, who was activated from the 60-day injured list after missing two months due to a fractured left hand. His return could spark the offense as the Pirates fight to improve their 61-65 record. Meanwhile, they designated Johnathan Rodríguez for assignment to make room for Cruz, who is expected to make an immediate impact. Despite a recent 3-4 stretch with a run differential of -1, there’s a warm vibe around the team. The excitement of Cruz’s comeback and the hope to build momentum at PNC Park could be just what they need as they look to close the gap in the division.

Sources

Bucsdugout

Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: Framber Valdez vs. Carmen Mlodzinski

Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, August 17, 2026, 7:05 p.m. ET The Pittsburgh Pirates are continuing their home stand at PNC Park as they host the Detroit Tigers for a three-game set. The first matchup of the series is getting the national TV treatment in ESPN’s edition of Monday Night Baseball. Taking the mound for […]

Bucsdugout

Oneil Cruz set to return to Pirates after serious hand injury

After missing the past two months and stints on both the 10 and 60-day IL, Oneil Cruz is back. The Pirates activated Cruz to the 26-man roster on Monday following a fractured left hand injury. Cruz hasn’t played since he suffered the injury on June 7 in Atlanta and missed 58 games during the heart […]

Mlbtraderumors

Pirates Designate Johnathan Rodríguez For Assignment

The Pirates announced that outfielder Johnathan Rodríguez has been designated for assignment. That opens a 40-man spot for outfielder Oneil Cruz to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list, as move that was previously reported. Rodríguez, 26, has never appeared in a big league game for the Bucs. He was acquired from the Orioles in […]

Mlbtraderumors

Pirates Activate Oneil Cruz From 60-Day IL

The Pirates have activated center fielder Oneil Cruz from the 60-day injured list and reinstated righty Yohan Ramirez from the paternity list. Lefty Hunter Barco and outfielder Ronny Simon have been optioned to Triple-A in a pair of corresponding 26-man roster moves. Pittsburgh will still need to make a 40-man move in order to clear […]

MLB.com

With Cruz sidelined, Mangum contributed massively in his own way

PITTSBURGH -- At 30 years old, Jake Mangum had not received an opportunity quite like this one. The Mets' 2019 fourth-round pick took five Minor League seasons to make the Majors, debuting for the Rays in 2025. After joining Pittsburgh in an offseason trade from Tampa Bay, Mangum became an

MLB.com

Griffin no longer needs splint, could return within 3 weeks

PITTSBURGH – Pirates rookie Konnor Griffin is progressing in his return from the 60-day injured list. The 20-year-old shortstop is no longer wearing a splint on his left ring finger after a checkup with the team’s hand specialist and orthopedic surgeon, and he’ll head to Bradenton, Fla., when the Pirates

Pirates Upcoming Schedule

The Pittsburgh Pirates visit the Los Angeles Dodgers for a 3-game series starting Friday.

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