The Pittsburgh Pirates have spent most of their trade-deadline energy chasing bullpen help, but they may not be done shopping for offense just yet.
According to The Athletic, Pittsburgh is among the teams tied to Baltimore Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward. The field around him is crowded, too, with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Guardians, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers also mentioned as interested clubs.
That kind of company makes the market tough, but Ward fits a clear need for the Pirates.
A nine-year MLB veteran, Ward is in his first season with Baltimore after the Orioles acquired him from the Los Angeles Angels in the offseason. He spent his first eight seasons with the Angels and only became a full-season regular over his final four years there, beginning in right field in 2022 before shifting to left field, where he currently starts for the Orioles.
At a glance, Ward has been a steady, if not flashy, major league bat. For his career, he’s hit .246/.336/.426 with an .762 OPS. But the Pirates would be looking for him for a more specific reason: what he does against left-handed pitching.
Pittsburgh has been battered by lefties this season, going 10-23 overall and losing five straight games to them before beating Andrew Abbott and the Cincinnati Reds 4-1 at Great American Ball Park on Aug. 2. Ward has been much more dangerous in that split this year, batting .262/.409/.421 with an .829 OPS, along with four home runs, 11 RBI and 28 walks against 26 strikeouts.
The appeal goes beyond the numbers. Ward’s plate discipline stands out, and his 17.3% walk rate ranks among the best in baseball. He doesn’t give away many at-bats, and he doesn’t chase or whiff much either.
Even with one of the better offenses in baseball this season, Pittsburgh has reasons to keep looking. Injuries have piled up, with center fielder Oneil Cruz, first baseman Spencer Horwitz, shortstop Konnor Griffin and now slugger Ryan O’Hearn all on the list. O’Hearn has a six-to-eight week injury return timeline after suffering a right quad strain.
The Pirates have gotten very little from their right-handed bats against lefties outside of Cruz’s big improvement and the right-handed Griffin. Their group includes utility man Jared Triolo, reserve outfielder Billy Cook, struggling designated hitter Marcell Ozuna and catcher Henry Davis.
There are a couple of other names in the mix, including power bat Esmerlyn Valdez and third baseman Nick Gonzales, who is hitting .315 in 2026. Still, the need for another reliable right-handed bat is obvious, and Ward could also give Pittsburgh some needed corner outfield depth.
The catch is cost. Ward is one of the few outfield options available in what’s being described as a thin deadline market, and teams that want him may have to pay more than they’d normally prefer, especially with free agency looming next season.
For now, bullpen remains the Pirates’ biggest priority. They already addressed that area by trading for New York Yankees right-handed reliever Camilo Doval on Aug. 1, and more pitching moves are expected.
A bat like Ward isn’t out of the question, but with the competition and the lack of team control, Pittsburgh may end up looking elsewhere if it wants to keep adding offense.
In Other News...
Pirates May Have Found A Trade Path For Bullpen Help
The Pirates search for bullpen help may be getting a little clearer as the trade market starts to take shape, and the Texas Rangers are suddenly part of the conversation. After a rough stretch, Texas has let other clubs know that no player is entirely off-limits, which opens the door for teams like Pittsburgh to at least explore ways to add depth without paying premium prices.
For the Pirates, the appeal appears to be in the Rangers relief mix rather than the headline names. Peyton Gray and Tyler Alexander have both put together solid seasons, and they fit the kind of lower-cost path Pittsburgh would likely have to pursue. The bigger-ticket Rangers pieces remain a different matter, with players such as Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi not expected to be available to a club like Pittsburgh. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates May Have Found A Bullpen Arm Worth Watching Closely
The Pirates got a first look at Doval almost immediately after acquiring him from the Yankees on Saturday, and the right-hander was in uniform and on the mound by Sunday. Pittsburgh brought him into the mix against the Reds, giving the bullpen a fresh arm to evaluate in a game that offered an early glimpse of how he might fit into Don Kellys relief plans.
Dovals first outing with his new club was a mixed one, as he gave up a solo homer but otherwise worked through the inning with authority. Kelly and Doval both addressed what the appearance meant for his role moving forward, and for a Pirates bullpen that is always looking for someone who can give it a little more late-game stability. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Bullpen Pressure Just Grew For Ben Cherington At Deadline
The bullpen market moved a little faster than the Pirates did, and that matters in Pittsburgh with the deadline in the rearview. Chicago landed right-handed reliever Huascar Brazobn from the Mets, a name the Pirates had shown interest in, underscoring how quickly relief help can come off the board when multiple clubs are chasing the same arms. For a team still trying to sort out the late innings, it was another reminder that patience alone is not going to fix the problem.
Ben Cherington is still searching for answers, and the pressure around the Pirates bullpen has only grown as the club continues to look at other possibilities. Luke Weaver and Brooks Raley remain among the targets being explored, but the broader issue is familiar by now: Pittsburgh needs more certainty in relief, and every missed opportunity only sharpens the focus on the general manager to deliver something that actually steadies the group. [Read more 🡒]