The Pirates have gone from afterthought to legitimate postseason possibility in 2026, but the roster still has a glaring soft spot: the bullpen. Pittsburgh’s offense has done its part, yet the relief corps remains shaky enough to threaten everything else the club has built.
That’s why ESPN’s David Schoenfield is pushing the Pirates to make a move for Aroldis Chapman, the hard-throwing closer currently with the Boston Red Sox. In Schoenfield’s view, Pittsburgh needs to address its Gregory Soto problem by bringing Chapman back into the picture through a trade.
“The Pirates are in the bottom half of the majors in bullpen ERA and win probability added as Gregory Soto, the primary closer, has a terrible ratio of 11 saves to four blown saves and is too erratic to be a playoff closer,” Schoenfield writes. “Of course, they need to get there first, which is why they need Chapman.
Chapman has been one of the best relievers in baseball this season, posting a 2.19 ERA. At 38 years old, he may not be a forever fix, but he would give Pittsburgh immediate help in 2026.
There’s also a longer-term wrinkle. If Chapman reaches 40 innings pitched in 2026, his 2027 option would vest, giving the Pirates an extra year of club control.
For a team trying to turn promise into an actual run, the fit is obvious. Pittsburgh can’t afford to keep leaning on Soto in the ninth inning, and Chapman would represent the best possible upgrade at the deadline. It wouldn’t lock up a playoff berth by itself, but it would patch one of the club’s weakest areas and give the Pirates a move that could energize the push toward October baseball.
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