PITTSBURGH - The best Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher in the second half of 2026 is none other than Mason Montgomery, but not everyone understands how great he's been.
Montgomery missed out on the National League Reliever of the Month Award for August, as Milwaukee Brewers right-handed pitcher Trevor Megill won it.
The Pirates' southpaw was incredible in August and pitched better than Megill, even if he didn't get recognition from MLB.
Montgomery showed that he isn't just going to dominate this season, but that the Pirates have one of the best relief pitchers in baseball for the future.
Montgomery didn't pitch much to start the month, just one outing in the first eight games, but ended up pitching 10 more times over the next 19 games.
He didn't allow a single run or earned run over 11 outings and 10.2 innings pitched, just four hits and one walk, while posting 20 strikeouts, a .111 batting average allowed and a 0.47 WHIP.
Aug 29, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Mason Montgomery (46) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Megill also had a great August himself, with no earned runs over 11 games and 12 innings pitched, just two hits, three walks allowed, but a run allowed and two intentional walks with seven strikeouts, along with posting a 0.53 BAA and a 0.42 WHIP.
| Stat |
Mason Montgomery |
Trevor Megill |
|---|---|---|
| Win-Loss Record |
1-0 |
0-1 |
| ERA |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| Games Pitched |
11 |
11 |
| Innings Pitched |
11.0 |
12.0 |
| Hits Allowed |
4 |
2 |
| Runs Allowed |
0 |
1 |
| Walks |
1 |
3 |
| Intentional Walks |
0 |
2 |
| Strikeouts |
20 |
7 |
| Batting Average Allowed (BAA) |
.111 |
0.53 |
| WHIP |
0.47 |
0.43 |
The comparisons show that Montgomery was the more dominant pitcher, while Megill was a tad more efficient, with a lower BAA and WHIP.
Montgomery was the most dominant pitcher in the NL, with the best K/9 (16.88), K/BB (20.00) and strikeout rate (54.1%).
His advanced stats were also outstanding, posting a -0.37 FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching), with a negative FIP acknowledging him as one of the best relief pitchers in the game.
The relief pitcher with the second-best FIP in August was Miami Marlins right-hander Calvin Faucher at 1.10, making Montgomery's FIP 1.37 points better.
Montgomery deserved the award for his dominance, but with the Brewers being one of the best teams in baseball, it's not surprising that Megill had a slight edge.
Both pitchers were perfect in save opportunities, but Megill had eight saves, while Montgomery had five, which likely made the difference.
Montgomery may not have won the award, but there's no doubt he is the Pirates' closer for the rest of this season and heading into 2027.
It's been a huge turnaround for Montgomery, as the two-run home run to Chicago Cubs slugger Seiya Suzuki at PNC Park on July 26 marks the only runs he gave up in the second half of 2026.
Aug 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Mason Montgomery (46) pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Montgomery has posted a 0.87 ERA over 20.2 innings in 21 outings, 35 strikeouts to five walks, a .113 BAA and a 0.63 WHIP since the All-Star break.
It's a massive improvement from his first-half performance , with a 4.14 ERA over 37 innings and 38 games, 55 strikeouts to 17 walks, a .221 BAA and a 1.30 WHIP.
Montgomery has benefited from his work with Pirates pitching coach Bill Murphy, adding a two-seam fastball and a curveball to his four-seam fastball and slider pitch mix, making him far more efficient and effective than he's ever been.
His performances lined up with the Pirates' bullpen improving as a whole , thanks to additions at the trade deadline.
Montgomery could be one of the best closers in baseball for next season, making him one of the better trade acquisitions in general manager Ben Cherington's tenure.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/pirates/onsi as Pirates' Mason Montgomery Robbed of MLB Honor .
