MLB fans shocked as Pittsburgh Pirates enter the week as the best team in the National League: "A gorgeous sight to see!"

No one saw it coming, but 23 games into the MLB season, the Pittsburgh Pirates are the best team in the National League.

There may be nearly six months left in the 2023 MLB campaign, but Pirates players aren't worried about the 139 games left to come. "One game at a time," as the age-old baseball saying goes.

The Pittsburgh Pirates clubhouse is a fun place to be around these days. As catcher Austin Hedges told Sports Illustrated:

"It’s a winning atmosphere. That’s what we talked about creating in spring training, and we’ve been able to do that. The cool thing about it, for a lot of guys who haven’t really experienced that before, is nothing needs to change. Exactly what we’re doing right now is what we can try and do for 162. And if we do that, I believe we’re a playoff team."

Pirates fans are just going with it and living in the moment of what has been rare success for the team as of late.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have not had a winning season since 2018 and have not made a playoff appearance since 2015. The team has long been an MLB doormat since the team's last prolonged taste of success in the early 1990s.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton, in his third season as the team's on-field leader, was handed a multi-year contract extension over the weekend. His contract was due to end after this season. He told MLB.com:

"I think the positivity that we’ve tried to portray as a staff and the consistency that we’ve tried to portray as a staff has been really important. There’s light at the end of the tunnel, and we’re moving in the right direction, and that’s really important to me."

After two rough seasons, the results are beginning to show.

Andrew McCutchen signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Pirates this past offseason, returning to the team with which he began his 15-year major league career in 2009. He is hitting .275 with four home runs and nine RBIs through 20 games.

Pittsburgh Pirates a feel-good story for MLB

Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates is congratulated by third base coach Mike Rabelo as he circles the bases after hitting a solo home run.

The Pirates are one of the oldest teams in the majors. Entering the league in 1882, Pittsburgh has won five World Series, with the last championship coming in 1979.