If you want to understand the soul of a Pittsburgh sports fan, don't look at the Steelers' trophy case. Look at the Pittsburgh Pirates record by year. It's a jagged mountain range of a timeline. You have these towering peaks from the era of Honus Wagner and Roberto Clemente, followed by deep, dark valleys that lasted longer than some actual civilizations.
Honestly, it’s a lot.
Being a Bucs fan isn't just about baseball; it's about endurance. We’re talking about a franchise that dates back to 1882, when they were the Allegheny. Since then, they've won five World Series titles. That sounds great on paper until you realize the last one happened in 1979. Since that "We Are Family" squad took it all, the road has been, well, let's call it bumpy.
The Early Dominance and the Deadball Era
People forget the Pirates were the first real dynasty of the 20th century. Between 1901 and 1903, they basically owned the National League. In 1902, they went 103-36. Think about that. They won nearly 75% of their games.
They were the first team to play in a modern World Series in 1903. They lost that one to Boston, but they made up for it in 1909. That year, they posted a 110-42 record. That remains the gold standard for the franchise. Honus Wagner was hitting everything in sight, and the pitching staff was untouchable.
Then came the 1920s. The record stayed mostly positive. They grabbed another ring in 1925 against the Senators. In 1927, they won the pennant again but ran into a buzzsaw called the "Murderers' Row" New York Yankees. Nobody was beating Ruth and Gehrig that year. The Pirates finished 94-60, which is an elite record, but they got swept in the Series.
The Clemente Years and the Golden Age
After a dry spell in the 40s and early 50s—including a miserable 42-112 season in 1952—things shifted. You can't talk about the Pittsburgh Pirates record by year without mentioning 1960. It’s the year of Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run.
The 1960 Pirates finished 95-59. They weren't supposed to beat the Yankees. They got outscored in that series by a ridiculous margin, but they won the games that mattered. It’s arguably the most famous moment in Pittsburgh sports history.
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Then came the 70s. This was the peak of "The Lumber Company."
From 1970 to 1979, the Pirates were almost always in the hunt. They won the World Series in 1971 and again in 1979.
1971: 97-65.
1972: 96-59.
1974: 88-74.
1975: 92-69.
The consistency was incredible. Willie Stargell was the captain, and the team had a swagger that matched the city’s industrial grit. When they beat the Orioles in '79 after being down 3-1 in the series, it felt like the winning would never end.
It did.
The Losing Streak That Defined a Generation
If you grew up in Western Pennsylvania in the 90s or 2000s, you know the pain. After Barry Bonds, Doug Drabek, and Bobby Bonilla led the team to three straight NLCS appearances from 1990 to 1992, the floor fell out.
The 1992 season ended with Sid Bream sliding into home. That play didn't just end a game; it seemingly cursed a franchise.
From 1993 to 2012, the Pirates did not have a single winning season. Not one.
Twenty years of sub-.500 baseball.
It’s a North American professional sports record for consecutive losing seasons.
- 1993: 75-87
- 1996: 73-89
- 2001: 62-100
- 2010: 57-105
The 2010 season was particularly brutal. They were essentially a Triple-A team playing in a Major League stadium. PNC Park opened in 2001 and it’s gorgeous, but for the first decade, the quality of play inside it was, frankly, embarrassing. The Pittsburgh Pirates record by year during this stretch is a graveyard of "what ifs" and "why bother."
The Brief Renaissance of the 2010s
Then came 2013. Something finally clicked. Andrew McCutchen became an MVP. Gerrit Cole arrived. The "Blackout" Wild Card game against the Reds is still the loudest that stadium has ever been.
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The Pirates went 94-68 in 2013. They followed it up with 88 wins in 2014 and a massive 98-64 record in 2015.
Wait. 98 wins?
In almost any other year, 98 wins wins you the division. But in 2015, the Cardinals won 100 and the Cubs won 97. The Pirates had the second-best record in all of baseball and were forced into a one-game playoff. They lost to Jake Arrieta and the Cubs. Just like that, the best Pirates team in 35 years was out of the postseason after nine innings.
It was devastating. The window slammed shut shortly after.
Where the Pirates Stand Today: The 2020s Outlook
Lately, the trend has been... frustrating. The 2021 season saw them hit triple digits in the loss column again (61-101).
However, 2023 showed some life. They started incredibly hot, cooled off, but finished with 76 wins. It wasn't a winning record, but it was progress. 2024 was a year of "The Skenes Effect." When Paul Skenes took the mound, the Pirates felt like a playoff team. When he didn't? It was a toss-up.
Looking at the Pittsburgh Pirates record by year over the last few seasons:
2022: 62-100.
2023: 76-86.
2024: 76-86.
They are stuck in the "middle," which is a dangerous place to be in MLB. They aren't bad enough to get the #1 pick (usually), but they aren't spending enough on free agents to leapfrog the Brewers or the Cardinals.
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Why the Records Look This Way
It's easy to blame the owner, Bob Nutting. Most fans do. The payroll is consistently in the bottom five of the league. When you look at the records from the mid-2000s, you see a team that was basically a farm system for the rest of the league. Players like Jose Bautista or Gerrit Cole would find stardom only after leaving Pittsburgh.
But it’s also about the draft. When the Pirates win, it's because they hit on high-level prospects. The 1970s success was built on scouting. The 2013-2015 run was built on McCutchen, Walker, and Alvarez.
The Statistical Anomalies
There are some weird things in the Pirates' history.
Take 1890. They went 23-113.
That is not a typo. They won 23 games. That was the year the "Players' League" started, and almost all the good Pittsburgh players left to play for the Pittsburgh Burghers. The leftover "Alleghenys" were so bad they were nicknamed "The Innocents" before finally being called the Pirates because they "pirated" a player back from another team.
Also, look at the 1985 season. 57-104.
This was the year of the Pittsburgh Drug Trials. The team was a mess on and off the field. It’s one of those years fans just try to delete from their memory banks.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you are tracking the Pirates' trajectory for betting, fantasy, or just pure fandom, here is what the historical data tells us:
- Pitching is the Pivot: Every single winning era in Pirates history—1909, 1960, 1971, 2015—was defined by a top-five pitching staff in the NL. When the team ERA stays under 3.75, they contend.
- The "Skenes" Era Window: Based on the 2024 performance, the Pirates are in a "building" phase that mirrors the 2011-2012 period. They have the arms; they lack the bats.
- Statistical Regression: The Pirates historically struggle in August. If you're looking at year-over-year trends, the "August Swoon" is a real phenomenon in Pittsburgh. They often lose ground late in the summer, which ruins their overall record.
The Pittsburgh Pirates record by year isn't just a list of wins and losses. It’s a reflection of the city. High highs, incredibly low lows, and a persistent hope that the next "Great One" is just one draft pick away.
To stay ahead of the curve, watch the development of the young rotation. The record in 2025 and 2026 will depend almost entirely on whether they can supplement their homegrown pitching with league-average hitting. If the front office refuses to add veteran bats, expect the 76-86 trend to continue. If they spend? 1979 might finally get a sequel.