The Pirates’ bullpen picture for 2027 is starting to take shape, and it looks a lot different from the version Pittsburgh tried to patch together at the 2026 trade deadline.
That deadline push brought in right-hander Camilo Doval, but the fit never really clicked. Doval had trouble finding the strike zone, and on Sept. 22 the Pirates designated him for assignment after sending two prospects to the New York Yankees on Aug.
- His exit says plenty about how Pittsburgh is viewing the bullpen moving forward: performance matters, but so does cost.
Doval was in his final year of arbitration and made $6.1 million this season, a number the Pirates were not going to want to carry into 2027. They already have two other arbitration-eligible relievers they would rather keep at the front of the line, Yohan Ramírez, who is heading into his second season, and Carmen Mlodzinski.
There’s also a pair of bullpen pieces set to hit free agency in left-hander Gregory Soto and right-hander Kirby Yates. And while the Pirates do have one reliever with real money attached to him, it’s right-hander Luke Weaver, who is set to make $12.5 million. Weaver came over in a trade with the New York Mets at the deadline, and Pittsburgh will only be responsible for $5 million of that total, with the Mets covering the other $7.5 million.
Beyond the veterans and arbitration cases, the Pirates have a cluster of younger arms that could define the next version of the bullpen. Left-hander Mason Montgomery has taken over the closer role two months ago and has been one of the best relievers in baseball, overpowering hitters and picking up plenty of wins for Pittsburgh.
Lake Bachar has given the Pirates a reliable option in bullpen games as a strong spot starter, and his versatility should keep him in the mix in different roles. Then there’s the rookie group of Khristian Curtis, Wilber Dotel and Antwone Kelly, all of whom are in position to compete for more innings in 2027 and even starting chances.
The left-handed duo of Brandon Eisert and Evan Sisk also fits into the picture, with both vying for bullpen spots. And the Pirates will be hoping right-hander Isaac Mattson can put a rough season behind him and bounce back next year.
In Other News...
Pirates Just Closed The Book On One Young Pitchers First Shot
The Pirates made a late-season pitching shuffle ahead of their series finale on Sept. 24, sending right-hander Khristian Curtis back to the Rookie-level Florida Complex League and bringing up left-hander Evan Sisk from Triple-A Indianapolis. It marked the end of Curtis first run with Pittsburgh, a brief look that gave the organization a chance to see him in big-league action over the course of six games.
With the season winding down, the move keeps Sisk in the mix for the final stretch while Curtis returns to the next step in his development. For a club that has spent much of the year sorting through arms and auditioning options, the transaction reads less like a surprise than another reminder that the Pirates are already thinking about how these pieces fit beyond the present. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Still Have One Frustrating Offensive Problem To Solve
The Pirates five-game winning streak ended with a 5-1 loss to the Cardinals, and the defeat served as another reminder of the same issue that has followed them for much of the season: what happens when a left-hander is on the mound. Pittsburgh finished 18-33 against left-handed pitching, and its overall numbers in those matchups sat at the bottom of the majors in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
That split stands out even on a club that did set franchise records in other offensive categories this year, which makes the problem feel all the more frustrating. Manager Don Kelly acknowledged the challenge against lefties and pointed to a mix of individual performances and injuries that affected the lineup, but it remains the kind of weakness that can undo a good stretch fast if it is not addressed going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Skenes Gave Pirates Fans One Last Ace Moment To Remember
Paul Skenes closed out his 2026 season with the kind of outing Pirates fans have come to expect from him, even in a year that tested the limits of the win-loss column. Against the St. Louis Cardinals, he worked 6 1/3 innings, allowed three hits and one earned run, walked two and struck out eight, giving Pittsburgh one more reminder of why every start from him still feels like an event.
The night also carried a clean final marker for his season, as Skenes reached 200 strikeouts before the year was done. He wrapped up with a 10-11 record, a 3.82 ERA and 200 strikeouts across 174 1/3 innings, numbers that reflect both how often he gave the Pirates a chance and how much more his stuff continued to play over a full season. [Read more 🡒]