Tyler Glasnow is currently one of the top starters in the MLB with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but when he first broke into the league, he was a struggling starter with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Glasnow knows the team and the fanbase pretty well, and he recently had an interesting observation on the rejuvenated 2024 Pirates squad.

The Pirates haven't made it to the postseason since 2015, as they have been in a lengthy rebuild for nearly a decade now. All that losing has resulted in their farm system getting beefed up, though, and they are finally starting to reap the benefits of that farm system, with guys like Paul Skenes coming up and dominating in the majors. Even though Pittsburgh probably won't make the playoffs again this season, he thinks Pirates fans are finally getting invested in their favorite team again after being deprived of good baseball for years.

“The last two games, the crowd has been insane. When I played here we sucked all the time, so we didn't have a lot of fans. They were kind of boycotting the owner, they just never showed up, but it was crazy last year, I think because (Paul) Skenes and then (Jared) Jones, just with how that lined up. I feel like they're kind of deprived in a way. They love sports here so much that they want to have a good team every year, and I think every year they just decide not to show up.” – Tyler Glasnow, The Chris Rose Rotation

Tyler Glasnow highlights the Pirates reason for optimism

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While rebuilds are often done for the better of the team, they can be pretty grueling for fans to endure. That's certainly been true for the Pirates and their fans, but they are finally beginning to reap the benefits of their team's lengthy rebuild. Their 31-34 record still has them sitting in last place in the National League Central, but there's finally some signs of life for this team as they try to find their way back into contention.

Glasnow knows the struggles the Pirates have dealt with, because for a point in time, he was a part of those struggles. The talented righty compiled an ERA of 6.75 over his first 22 outings for Pittsburgh before they eventually shipped him to the Tampa Bay Rays, where he ended up morphing into one of the best starters in the game.

Now, Glasnow is watching guys like Skenes and Jared Jones draw in excited crowds of baseball fans on a nightly basis for the Pirates. It's a far cry from where the team stood just last season, and if the Pirates can continue cultivating young talent, they will be back in the postseason before they know it.