Pirates Ride Left-Handed Power to Insane Turnaround

New additions O'Hearn and Cruz lead the charge as Pittsburgh's lefty hitters dominate early in the season.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 3:55pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game or match, with sharp, overlapping planes of color in a vibrant palette representing the raw energy and dynamism of the Pirates' offensive surge.The Pirates' new left-handed power hitters have sparked an explosive offensive turnaround in the early season.Today in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Pirates have experienced a dramatic turnaround in their left-handed power production, going from just 34 home runs from lefty hitters all of last season to 10 in the first 9 games of this year. Offseason acquisitions Ryan O'Hearn and Oneil Cruz have led the charge, with O'Hearn posting 11 hits and 11 RBIs in his first 8 games and Cruz tied for the National League lead with 4 home runs, 3 of which have come against left-handed pitchers - a huge improvement over his .102 average and 1 homer versus lefties last year.

Why it matters

The Pirates' sudden left-handed power surge is a promising sign for a team that struggled mightily on offense last season. If O'Hearn and Cruz can sustain this production, along with contributions from other new additions like Brandon Lowe, it could signal a significant turnaround for the Pirates and make them a surprise contender in the NL Central.

The details

Through the first 9 games of the 2026 season, the Pirates have already hit 10 home runs from left-handed hitters, compared to just 34 all of last year. Offseason signing Ryan O'Hearn has been a big part of the turnaround, recording 11 hits and 11 RBIs in his first 8 games - one of only 5 Pirates players ever to accomplish that feat. Meanwhile, shortstop Oneil Cruz is tied for the NL lead with 4 home runs, 3 of which have come against lefties after he hit just .102 against them last season.

  • The Pirates had 34 home runs from left-handed hitters over the entire 2025 season.
  • Through the first 9 games of the 2026 season, the Pirates have already hit 10 home runs from left-handed hitters.

The players

Ryan O'Hearn

The Pirates' first multi-year free agent signing in a decade, O'Hearn has 11 hits and 11 RBIs through his first 8 games, making him one of only 5 players in team history to accomplish that feat.

Oneil Cruz

After a rough first game, Cruz is currently tied for the National League lead with 4 home runs, 3 of which have come against left-handed pitchers - a huge improvement over his .102 average and 1 homer versus lefties last season.

Brandon Lowe

Acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay, Lowe has 3 home runs and a pair of doubles, with a .389 on-base percentage and 1.022 OPS through his first 8 games.

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What they’re saying

“We got a lot of good guys in here that do things the right way. I appreciate guys seeing that. I'm just trying to go out and be myself, support my teammates and play hard. I think if we get a group of guys that go out there and compete and play hard every day, I think we are going to win a lot of games.”

— Ryan O'Hearn

“Feels pretty good, the work that I put in the offseason is showing up here. I feel in a really good spot against lefties.”

— Oneil Cruz

“Truly impressive, speaks to the work he put in this offseason. He came into Spring Training with that goal in mind. Early on you saw it, he was really impressive left-on-left.”

— Don Kelly, Pirates Manager

The takeaway

The Pirates' sudden power surge from left-handed hitters, led by new additions O'Hearn and Cruz, is a promising sign that the team's offseason moves could pay big dividends and make them a surprise contender in the NL Central this year.