The Pirates are heading into the August 3 deadline with a clear priority, and it’s the part of the roster that has been begging for help all year: the bullpen.
Pittsburgh is within a game of a playoff spot and trying to get back to the postseason for the first time in over a decade, so the club is operating as a buyer. Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Pirates could still look at the rotation or the lineup, but the bullpen is where the focus sits. He also says the front office has some room to add payroll, though that flexibility is limited.
That lines up with the shape of the roster. The Pirates have gotten strong work from their starters and have enough bats to stay in the mix, but the relief group has been a problem.
Pittsburgh relievers own a 4.42 ERA, which places them in the bottom third of the league. For a contender, that’s the kind of weakness that gets exposed fast, and it’s no surprise the Pirates are targeting arms.
Beazley says the club wants at least one leverage reliever and possibly more. The preference is for right-handers, though the Pirates are open to any upgrade that makes sense.
That makes sense given how the bullpen is built right now. Some of the best relief work in Pittsburgh has come from lefties, with Soto saving 13 games while posting a 3.89 ERA, a 27.6% strikeout rate, a 10.6% walk rate and a 42% ground ball rate.
Mason Montgomery has a 3.79 ERA with even better strikeout and ground-ball numbers, though he has also issued more walks. Brandon Eisert was recently added as another left-handed option.
The right-handed side has been less convincing. Dennis Santana was once an important piece, but his struggles were bad enough to get him designated for assignment this week.
Carmen Mlodzinski and Wilber Dotel are handling multi-inning work. Ron Marinaccio arrived from the Padres recently but has a 4.79 ERA this season.
Isaac Mattson sits at 4.13. Yohan Ramírez has a sharper 3.21 ERA, but that comes with a troubling 13.2% walk rate and help from a 78.5% strand rate.
There are plenty of right-handed relievers who could move before the deadline, with Mason Miller, Luke Weaver, Jeff Hoffman, Kirby Yates, Antonio Senzatela, Kenley Jansen and others all mentioned as possibilities. Still, Beazley’s reporting points to a Pirates approach that probably won’t involve a massive prospect haul or a major payroll swing for a headline closer.
Miller would be the most expensive in prospect terms. The Padres gave up Leo De Vries, one of the top five prospects in the league, to get Miller last year, and Beazley’s reporting suggests Pittsburgh would not be in that kind of market now. Recent reporting has indicated San Diego would likely want two Top 100 prospects in a deal of that size.
The financial side matters too. Miller is making $4MM this year and is under arbitration control for three more seasons.
Weaver is at $8MM this year and $11MM next year. Hoffman is making $11MM this year and next.
Senzatela is at $12MM this year with a $14MM club option for next year. Jansen is making $9MM and has a $12MM club option with a $2MM buyout for 2027.
Yates is the cheaper name in the group at $5MM.
MLBTR’s Payroll Tracker has Pittsburgh a little above $106MM, which would be a franchise high. Cot’s Baseball Contracts says the Pirates have never finished a season above $100MM. Beazley’s reporting indicates they can push that number up somewhat, but also suggests they are more likely to land a closer who is not firmly established, which makes taking on a contract like Hoffman’s or Weaver’s less likely.
On the outgoing side, Beazley says the Pirates would most likely deal prospects, though they are willing to move big leaguers in the right situation. Oneil Cruz has been a popular name in rumors, but today’s reporting says the Pirates have not discussed trading him and are not likely to.
That tracks with Cruz’s value. He has flaws, but he can change a game with his offense. He is also making just $3.3MM this year and remains under control for two more seasons, which is exactly the kind of cost control Pittsburgh needs.
As for the farm system, Beazley says the Pirates do not have anyone they truly view as untouchable, though that may be more a matter of wording than reality. Clubs often say they’ll listen on anything, but top-50 prospects almost never move unless a team is unusually aggressive. Right-hander Seth Hernandez and outfielder Edward Florentino are generally ranked in that top-50 range on many lists, and while Pittsburgh is willing to consider moving them, it would still come as a major surprise if either were actually dealt.
In Other News...
Pirates Suddenly Look Serious About A Bullpen Move Fans Have Wanted
The Pirates are reportedly in the mix for one of the markets most electric bullpen arms, with San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller drawing real interest ahead of the trade deadline. Miller has been dominant this season, the kind of late-inning weapon a contender can build around, and Pittsburgh is said to be weighing whether it wants to pay the kind of price such a pitcher commands.
What makes this pursuit notable is the level of talent the Pirates may have to put on the table to get it done, with major league pieces and prospects both in the conversation. No deal has been confirmed, but the fact that Pittsburgh is seriously exploring a move for a high-end closer suggests the front office is at least considering a far bolder bullpen upgrade than fans have been used to seeing. [Read more 🡒]
Endy Rodrguez Finally Took A Step Pirates Fans Needed To See
Endy Rodrguez finally got back into game action with Triple-A Indianapolis, and for the Pirates that alone was a meaningful checkpoint in a return that has been handled carefully from the start. The catcher went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in his rehab debut, then said he felt healthy afterward, which is exactly the kind of update Pittsburgh has been waiting for as it tries to bring him back the right way.
The next step is less about one rehab box score than about how Rodrguez holds up as the workload increases. Pittsburgh wants him fully ready before he rejoins the major league club, and the club will keep easing him along while the catching picture shifts around him, giving him a path back without rushing the process. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Make Another Lineup Tweak With Bats Under Pressure Again
The Pirates shuffled their infield again for Fridays matchup with the Cubs, moving Nick Gonzales to second base, Jacob Gonzalez to shortstop and Jared Triolo over to third. Ryan OHearn was the only holdover from the previous games lineup, a reminder of how much manager Don Kelly has been searching for the right mix as the offense tries to find some traction.
The alignment was built with Chicago left-hander Shota Imanaga in mind, and Pittsburgh is hoping the new look can do more than just patch together a batting order for one night. Jacob Gonzalez, acquired from the White Sox on July 10, is making his fourth start at shortstop while filling in for injured Konnor Griffin, and the Pirates are leaning on a setup they already used in a 7-1 win over Cleveland on July 19. [Read more 🡒]