If you are someone who views being swept by the Atlanta Braves as some sort of reality check for the Pittsburgh Pirates, then you’ve got a skewed vision of reality.
If you think the Pirates’ failed a test against the Braves, then you’ve been sitting in the wrong classroom.
If you’re looking at this three-game defeat for the Bucs as coming up short on the measuring stick, use a different ruler.
Where the 2026 Pirates are going and what they hope to accomplish are very different from what the Braves are looking to do.
At 45-21, the Braves have the best record in Major League Baseball. They are positioning themselves for a World Series quest. The Pirates (34-32) are just trying to be above .500 for the first time since 2018, and maybe make the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
The Braves are measuring themselves in feet and yards. The Buccos are making gains in inches.
They aren’t alone. Much of the National League is the same way. Atlanta’s fellow division leaders — the Los Angeles Dodgers in the West and the Milwaukee Brewers in the Central — are playing above .600 baseball.
The next best team is St. Louis. The Cardinals lead the wild card chase at 35-28 (.556). Then it’s Philadelphia in the second slot (35-30, .538).
The Pirates and San Diego Padres are both half a game back of the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks at 34-31 for the last wild card position.
With most teams having roughly 95 games remaining, that is the depth of the water the Pirates need to swim. They’re not exactly in the kiddie pool with their water wings, but they don’t have to keep their heads above water in the deep end with the division leaders either.
Actually, they will this week when the Dodgers visit PNC Park Tuesday to Thursday. After the Dodgers leave town, though, they will try to hit 100 wins again. The Pirates are just trying to scrounge up 86 or 87. That ought to be enough to claim a wild card.
Look at how Atlanta dismissed Pittsburgh this weekend. The Braves only allowed eight runs in three games. They only committed one error during the series. Braves pitchers held the Pirates to 6 for 29 hitting with runners in scoring position. Pirates hitters struck out 25 times and walked only 11. The Braves scored 15 runs with the aid of only two homers in the series.
Make it rain, Money Mike ????https://t.co/DZR0ZYbjhX pic.twitter.com/lEyQtIg72i
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 7, 2026
Most importantly, Atlanta’s bullpen didn’t allow a single run in 11 innings of scoreless relief. Despite decent outings Friday and Saturday, compare that to what the Pirates’ bullpen has done this year.
The Pirates now have 6 losses when leading after 6 innings.
14 blown saves this year.
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
— Dan Zangrilli (@DanZangrilli) June 7, 2026
Atlanta has completed 21 series this season and won 18 of them. The Pirates aren’t cut out for that.
The Pirates are focused on trying to outgun a Padres team that has the worst offense in baseball, a Cubs team that recently lost 14 of 17, and an Arizona club that has lost seven of 10 and has a negative-10 run differential.
Yes, it was disheartening to see the Pirates roll into Atlanta having won 5 of 6, only to get picked off three days in a row by MLB’s best. Maybe the same thing will happen this week while the Dodgers are on the North Shore.
But it doesn’t really change who the Pirates are or what their goals should be.
The people who are expecting more are the ones who need “reality” redefined.
Listen: Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss Atlanta’s sweep of the Pirates.
