School is out, ballparks of all sizes around the country are beginning to fill up, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are continuing to prove that they are worth the price of admission. At 33-28, they sit alone in second place in the NL Central, just five games back of the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers. After a 16-12 May, the Pirates have officially announced themselves as a potential contender in the National League.The difference between April's maddening mediocrity and May's legitimate contention comes down to one word: offense. A year after finishing dead last in baseball in OPS and home runs, the Pirates are now fourth in the NL in OPS (.721) and 10th in home runs (65). Pittsburgh scored over five runs per game during the month of May. The starting pitching remains a strength. But the bullpen and defense have emerged as clear vulnerabilities, threatening to undermine a season that feels increasingly real.Don Kelly's first full season at the helm has evolved from a feeling-out process into a genuine playoff chase. The Pirates are scoring runs, protecting leads with an elite rotation, and surviving a brutal division race. Here's how each position group grades out after a month that may have changed the trajectory of the season.Note: All hitting and pitching stats are from May 1 through May 31. Defensive ratings (DEF) from FanGraphs are cumulative for the season.