In response to pressure from Pennsylvania legislators claiming that the underperforming Pirates depress taxpayer investment in the publicly owned PNC Park, the team issued a statement rejecting performance-based lease conditions. The Pirates emphasized that such benchmarks are uncommon in MLB and highlighted their ongoing investments in talent development, including the recent rise of rookie Paul Skenes.

Pennsylvania Republican legislators have criticized the Pittsburgh Pirates for not increasing their payroll to improve competitiveness, arguing that low spending has hurt team performance and limited economic benefits for taxpayers who helped fund the ballpark. The team's decision to maintain a low payroll has drawn political ire as lawmakers urge better returns on public investments.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have launched a diversity, equity, and inclusion speaker series featuring NLBM president Bob Kendrick via Zoom. The initiative aims to celebrate differences within the organization and promote ongoing improvement in embracing diversity.

On April 17, 2023, members of the Pittsburgh Stadium Independent Employees Union working at PNC Park voted to strike after rejecting a contract offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Despite the team’s claims of having offered unprecedented wage increases and benefits through months of mediated negotiations, the union chose to take industrial action, prompting a statement of disappointment from the Pirates.

On February 28, 2023, the Pittsburgh Pirates participated in a new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion partnership announced by the Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP). The initiative, unveiled at a press conference at Acrisure Stadium, brings together Pittsburgh's major sports franchises—including the Pirates, Steelers, and Penguins—to implement progressive DEI measures inspired by the Corporate Equity and Inclusion Roundtable (CEIR) Playbook, including practices akin to the Rooney Rule to promote minority representation.