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The Pittsburgh Pirates were a team that had no expectations to succeed in 2023.
However, they have the best record in the National League and lead the NL Central division over the Milwaukee Brewers by 1.5 games.
The man running the team is a face that Boston Red Sox fans will recognize.
Ben Cherington is the team’s general manager and has great experience from his days in Boston.
In 2013, the Red Sox, much like the Pirates now, were considered a team in transition.
However, Cherington assembled the right pieces and led them to the best record in baseball.
They ultimately defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.
On Twitter, one Red Sox analyst posed an interesting question.
Can Ben Cherington do it again a decade later?
2013: Zero expectations with a rebuilding Red Sox team, but still manages the best record in baseball and wins a World Series.
2023: Rebuilding team, zero expectations, currently holds the best record in the NL with Pirates. pic.twitter.com/UrHxkQxGZ9
— Thomas Carrieri (@Thomas_Carrieri) April 27, 2023
Could Cherington be on a similar path in 2023?
It’s possible.
He took over as the Red Sox GM in 2012.
It only took a year for him to assemble his roster and put together a championship team that surprised the entire baseball world.
The Red Sox, much like the Pirates now, were not expected to do much in 2013.
However, they completed a worst-to-first turnaround and surprised many around the game.
The Pirates have some solid pieces in place, such as Andrew McCutchen, Carlos Santana, David Bednar, Bryan Reynolds, and Oneil Cruz.
Cruz is currently injured, but the Pirates have continued to play solid baseball.
Cherington obviously has experience turning rebuilding teams into championship teams.
The Pirates just took two out of three games from the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had the best record in baseball last season.
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