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The Pirates were supposed to be ready in 2026. They improved the roster over the winter, aggressively addressed the bullpen at the trade deadline and had a Wild Card spot within reach less than a month ago.
Instead, they've collapsed again.
Alex Stumpf looks at why this late-season collapse feels different from 2011, 2012 and 2024, why the usual excuses don't completely work this time, and how several of the players Pittsburgh was counting on have failed to deliver during the most meaningful stretch of the season.
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The Pirates Are Done. The Excuses Need to End.
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"Why This Pirates Collapse Feels Different" is an episode of North Shore Nine: A Pittsburgh Pirates Podcast. Runtime 17 min. Published August 24, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.
