"I'm Back."
It is hard to believe, but baseball season is right around the corner. Take a break from shoveling snow, take a seat, and endulge is the first "Back Patio Yinzer" article of the season.
With nearly three feet of snow on the ground across much of Pennsylvania, it may not feel like baseball season is close. But with the calendar turning to the final week of January, the sport’s long winter absence is nearly over.
January marks the final month without baseball until December 2026, meaning the return to the ballpark is right around the corner.
That reality brings the annual end of hibernation and the revival of Back Patio Yinzer. The site’s most recent post came in May 2025, questioning whether the Pittsburgh Pirates should consider trading Paul Skenes if the organization failed to invest financially. At the time, the idea seemed far-fetched. Now, just days after Skenes accepted the National League Cy Young Award in New York, it feels even more unlikely.
The Pirates did make headlines this offseason, signing their first multiyear free agent since Ivan Nova in 2016 and their first multiyear position player since John Jaso. Pittsburgh added All-Star first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, power-hitting second baseman Brandon Lowe and outfielder Jake Mangum, along with the signing of Jhostynxon Garcia, nicknamed “The Password.”
In total, the Pirates added more than 50 home runs to the projected lineup, a notable step for a club that has struggled offensively in recent seasons.
The question remains whether the Pirates are finished. Pittsburgh has been linked to third baseman Eugenio Suarez throughout the offseason, but no deal has materialized. Despite Suarez hitting more than 40 home runs last season, his market has been quiet.
Help could also come internally. Konnor Griffin has been labeled the organization’s most exciting position player prospect since Mike Trout, lofty expectations for a player who could reach Pittsburgh by midseason and compete for everyday time at shortstop.
On the mound, attention turns to right-hander Jared Jones, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Jones is expected to return in June and will debut a new No. 17 when he takes the mound again at PNC Park.
Third base remains a question mark, as does catcher. Joey Bart struggled in his first full season with Pittsburgh. Former No. 1 overall pick Henry Davis has yet to meet expectations, and Endy Rodriguez is attempting to return from injuries that have stalled the career of a once highly regarded prospect.
There are also questions surrounding Bryan Reynolds. While the Pirates committed long term to Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes, Hayes now plays for the Cincinnati Reds, and Reynolds’ recent performance has raised concerns about his value.
There is no shortage of uncertainty for the 2026 Pirates as pitchers and catchers prepare to report to Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla. Still, with winter conditions dominating Pennsylvania, the thought of Pirates baseball returning provides a welcome reminder that spring is closer than it feels.
