PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates were a much better team in 2026, but far from one competing for a World Series.

The 2026 World Series pits the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays against each other in a battle between small-market ball clubs, a dynamic the Pirates share.

Milwaukee leads Tampa Bay 2-0, but the American League club now has two games at home and the Pirates' National League Central Division rival will face a strong fan base at Tropicana Field.

The Pirates aren't close to either team in terms of roster quality, and there are a few areas they must bolster for 2027 to make that a chance.

A Strong Bullpen for the Postseason

One of the most important parts of a good postseason team is a great bullpen, something both the Brewers and the Rays both have.

Milwaukee has closer Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, DL Hall, Aaron Ashby and trade deadline acquisitions JoJo Romero and Antonio Senzatela.

Tampa Bay has another top closer in Bryan Baker, Cam Booser and Kevin Kelly, while Garrett Cleavinger, Cole Sulser, Steven Matz and Ian Seymour provide veteran help.

The biggest weakness for the Pirates this season was their bullpen, which was strong in 2025, but important arms regressed in 2026.

Pittsburgh lost too many games they couldn't lose and missed opportunities to build winning streaks because of their bullpen's unreliability.

The Pirates made some solid additions at the trade deadline, but it wasn't enough to keep them in the NL Wild Card race, going 7-16 from late July to mid-August.

Pittsburgh has a big offseason ahead, and fortifying its bullpen with solid additions, whether by free agency or trade, will be crucial.

A Consistent, Reliable Third Baseman

The Pirates didn't solve their third base issues last offseason and it created issues for them in 2026.

Nick Gonzales took over at third base for most of the season, 101 starts in 112 games, which was a benefit offensively, but a detriment defensively.

Gonzales had a career year at the plate, slashing .303/.367/.388 for an OPS of .755, which included the sixth-best batting average (.303) and the 20th-best OBP (.367) in baseball.

He also posted -15 defensive runs saved (DRS), -10 outs above average (OAA) and -9 fielding run value (FRV), all the worst marks for any third baseman who played at least 850 innings.

The Rays have one of the best third basemen in baseball in Junior Caminero, who played all 162 games, hit 42 home runs and 101 RBI and earned his second All-Star nod.

Caminero is a great right-handed power hitter for the Rays and an anchor in their lineup, something that Gonzales, who lacks power, can never be.

Gonzales does provide a solid bat for the Pirates, but a more powerful hitting third baseman would be a big boost for this Pirates lineup, especially if they could also field better.

A Catcher That Can Excel Offensively and Defensively

The Pirates' catching situation is an interesting one heading into 2027, where there isn't a clear answer for them.

Henry Davis is the most veteran option and the best defensive catcher by far, one of the better defensive catchers in baseball.

Davis is also poor at the plate, batting .172/.272/.313 for an OPS of .585 in 97 games in 2026 and hasn't become the hitter the Pirates envisioned when they took him first overall in 2021.

Endy Rodríguez showed he can hit when he's playing, batting .267/.373/.467 for an OPS of .840 in 45 games, but his injury history has prevented him from showing that more often.

Rodríguez underwent surgery to repair his left hip labrum on Aug. 26 and will return to baseball activities between March and May 2027.

Rafael Flores Jr. could be the answer for the Pirates, batting .264/.331/.527 for an OPS of .858 in 47 games with 11 home runs, but his defense is still questionable.

Both the Rays and Brewers have reliable, veteran catchers who they know will have a big role for them in every game.

William Contreras is a three-time All-Star and is excellent at the plate for the Brewers, while Nick Fortes was a solid veteran option for the Rays before they added the younger and more offensive Liam Hicks at the trade deadline.

The Pirates will hope one of Davis, Rodríguez and Flores emerges as the starter, or at the very least, that the competition makes them all better and the catcher position group becomes one of strength rather than a weakness.