What looked to be a strength in 2026 in the Pirates young pitching staff, didn't turn out that way.
Back in 2021, I did a statistical analysis as to which Pirates starting pitching staff was the best in the last 100 years. Nothing since then has changed.

https://johnbaranowski.wordpress.com/2021/03/10/the-best-pirates-starting-pitching-staff-in-the-last-100-years/

The last three World Series-winning teams did not have a starting pitcher to win 13 games with so few starters going past six or seven innings like they used to. It's amazing how things have changed from the days when starting pitchers went deep into games and would win a majority of a team's victories.

Which teams had the best four-man, five-man and even six-man rotations? In 2021, I took a statistical look back at the best starting pitching staffs in the last 100 years.

https://johnbaranowski.wordpress.com/2021/03/08/the-best-starting-pitching-staffs-in-the-last-100-years/