Pirates, Braves and other teams to believe in after strong early starts

My boldest take entering the regular season was that the Pittsburgh Pirates would make the postseason. I got plenty of flack, especially from A.J. Pierzynski, and have stood by my belief in that organization.

So far, the Pirates look very strong, and lead their division 2.5 weeks into the regular season. Which other teams do I believe in? Here’s a list of five teams, including the Pirates, who are showing promising early signs.

Believe in: Baltimore Orioles

I loved what the Orioles did this offseason. They drastically improved their offense and added much-needed veteran talent alongside a talented young roster. They improved their pitching staff and added a credible, established option in the ninth inning in Ryan Helsley. And they hired Craig Albernaz, who was Stephen Vogt’s right-hand man in Cleveland, as their new manager.

The Orioles have started 9-7 and are tied atop the American League East. They feel absolutely legit, but there are concerns. Is their starting pitching enough? They also are dealing with an assortment of injuries, with Dietrich Enns dealing with a “gnarly” foot infection, Tyler O’Neill getting a concussion after he fainted from dehydration, Adley Rutschman spraining his ankle running the bases and Ryan Mountcastle breaking his foot running the bases.

The latest: Albernaz taking a liner off the face on Monday. He has a broken jaw and seven fractures in his cheek/orbital area. He returned to the dugout later in the game and seemed unbothered. A prediction: we all look back at this moment as when Albernaz officially won over the Orioles’ locker room. What a badass moment.

Believe in: Atlanta Braves

The vibes surrounding the Braves were not good on Opening Day. Jurickson Profar had just been suspended for the entire season while the pitching staff was without Spencer Schwellenbach, Hunter Waldrep and Spencer Strider. 

And yet, Atlanta is 10-7 and in first place in the National League East. They have only allowed 54 runs, which is good for slightly over three runs allowed per game (tied for best in baseball). They’ve scored 94 runs, the second-most in baseball, and have the best run differential (+40). Yes, I know. It’s far too early to talk about run differential. But I like what I’m seeing from this Braves team and believe it’s sustainable.

Believe in: Pittsburgh Pirates

How about the Pirates? They lead the National League Central and this team just feels … different. They have veteran talent. They have young talent. As Tom Verducci told me on The Baseball Insiders, Paul Skenes and Konnor Griffin feel very similar to when the Washington Nationals had Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg.

I’m a huge believer in the Pirates. I think they’re playoff bound this season and have one of the brightest futures in the National League. My co-host, Adam Weinrib, believes Don Kelly wins Manager of the Year.

There will be ups and downs, of course. But this Pirates team feels built to withstand them and finally get Pittsburgh baseball back to the postseason.

Believe in: San Diego Padres

When we talk about the National League West, we often think about the Los Angeles Dodgers. But we should not forget about the San Diego Padres.

Their offense has tons of talent, and Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado still form one of the best duos in baseball. Jackson Merrill is a star. The list goes on and on. There are questions on the pitching side, of course, and the Padres remain interested in right-hander Lucas Giolito. Regardless, I expect A.J. Preller address the unit in some fashion, and his trade for closer Mason Miller last deadline looks like a stroke of genius. He’s been the best reliever in baseball, and really, it’s not close.

Believe in: Miami Marlins

I love what the Marlins are doing. Peter Bendix took over the organization and immediately put his stamp on it with an epic trade deadline sell-off. Those pieces have since emerged while Sandy Alcantara looks like the dominant right-hander that we’re all used to seeing.

Something that I would watch is for the Marlins to potentially be buyers at the deadline. It’s time they tried to win with the young talent on the roster and adding some reinforcements and payroll, especially after a quiet winter and looming labor discussions after the season, would be smart. I also expect the Marlins to get calls on Alcantara and while I’m not sure if they ultimately do trade him, they should not move him unless absolutely blown away with an offer they can’t refuse.

In the meantime, they’d be wise to explore extensions for some of their young talent, and Jakob Marsee feels like a worthy candidate.

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