2023 MLB Futures: Best Bets For Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates Futures Bets

The 2023 MLB season begins on March 29 and BetQL is your one-stop shop for daily best bets, expert picks, public data, written analysis, and more from the first pitch to the last. Before the season begins, I’m going through all 30 teams, detailing futures to target for every club and touching on some of the most intriguing storylines from around the league.

Three major rule changes will come into play this year, as a pitch timer, shift restrictions and bigger bases will be introduced. The pitch timer helped reduce game length by 25 minutes in the minors last year, shift restrictions increased batting average and decreased strikeouts, and bigger bases not only improved player safety but resulted in more steals and a better product. These changes can and most likely will have major on-field impacts, which makes predicting outcomes even more difficult in 2023.

Let’s take a look at the 2023 Pirates.

Pittsburgh Pirates Roster

Pirates fans have been reeling for years now for a winning team, and unfortunately for them, it is looking more and more like another losing season awaits them in 2023. The organization has failed to do much this offseason to inspire much confidence, and the roster as is just screams mediocrity. Pittsburgh is notorious for being one of the cheapest front offices in MLB, and they don't like to hand out big contracts or spend big money. That's why the roster I'm about to go over is the way it is, and it's sad for fans that are dedicated to this franchise. They deserve a winning team, and what a beautiful ballpark PNC is. With that, let's take a look at the projected lineup for the 2023 Pirates.

Austin Hedges and his .163 BA figures to be the starting catcher, so don't expect much production there. Ji-Man Choi was one of the offseason additions for the Pirates at first base, but he batted just .233 last season. Rodolfo Castro will probably be the starting second baseman with a .233 average, but Tucupita Marcano could push him for a spot. Ke'Bryan Hayes will man third base, the main staple of the team with a .244 average. Oneil Cruz stands at shortstop with a .233 average as well, while Carlos Santana figures to be the main man at DH. The outfield will feature Connor Joe, Bryan Reynolds, Andrew McCutchen, with the latter being a nostalgic signing from the last good Pirates team. Reynolds is the best hitter on this team, but he is a staple of trade talks every year.

Their defense was the worst in all of MLB last season, with a pathetic .979 fielding percentage.

The pitching rotation figures to be a little bit better than the lineup, but it still doesn't look like one that is going to be competing for anything. We all know that Gerrit Cole was once a Pirate, but the organization refused to pay him when his contract was up, which is what they will do with all of their prospects who perform well and want money. There are a few guys on this staff that have promise, but the chances that they remain on the roster in their prime years are low. The staff is pretty much the same as it was in 2022, so let's take a look at what we are dealing with here.

Mitch Keller is back and will likely be at the top of the rotation. He owned a 5-12 record with a 3.91 ERA in 29 starts. Rich Hill will be ending his career soon enough. He went 8-7 with a 4.27 ERA in 26 starts. JT Brubaker didn't have a good year at all, with a 3-12 record and 4.69 ERA in 28 starts. Roansy Contreras and Johan Oviedo will likely have the last two spots in the starting rotation, but Luis Ortiz and Vince Velasquez will make a push for their jobs if they start to falter early in the season.

As for the bullpen, it will be manned by some mix of the following: David Bednar, Yerry De Los Santos, Colin Holderman, Wil Crowe, Duane Underwood Jr., Chase De Jong, Jarlin Garcia, Robert Stephenson, Jose Hernandez, Dauri Moreta, Colin Selby, and Yohan Ramirez.

Pittsburgh Pirates Best Bets

Under 67.5 regular season wins (-115, DraftKings) is the only way I would play the Pirates in 2023. This is a bottom-five lineup with little talent. They haven't done much to improve the terrible defense that should be bad again, and the pitching rotation isn't elite by any means. It looks like it's going to be another awful season for Pittsburgh in 2023.