The Pirates came out of the trade deadline in a place they don’t usually occupy: buying, not selling. And with that shift came a clear message from Pittsburgh’s front office - this club is trying to make a run at its first postseason berth since 2015.
Ben Cherington and the Pirates went all-in on the bullpen, adding four right-handed relievers in Lake Bachar from the Miami Marlins, Luke Weaver of the New York Mets, Camilo Doval of the New York Yankees and Kirby Yates from the Los Angeles Angels. It was the kind of aggressive move that fit the moment, especially for a team trying to turn a strong season into something that lasts into October.
Weaver looks like the headliner of the group. He owns a 1.84 ERA this season and has been nearly untouchable lately, giving up just one earned run over his last 32 appearances and 30.2 innings for a 0.28 ERA.
Doval has had a rougher 2026, but most of that damage came at hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium, and he still carries a sub-2.00 ERA on the road along with closer experience from his years with the San Francisco Giants from 2021-25. Yates, now 39, brings his own late-inning pedigree, while Bachar gives Pittsburgh some flexibility because he can work in multiple roles, most likely as middle relief and covering two to three innings.
That depth matters because the Pirates are trying to build a bullpen that can do more than just survive. They still have Mason Montgomery, who’s worked as a closer, Gregory Soto, who has handled both closer and setup duties, and Evan Sisk, who should slot in earlier in games when he returns from injury.
Right-hander Yohan Ramírez also figures to stay in the middle relief mix after posting a 0.36 ERA since the start of June. If everything clicks, Pittsburgh could go from leaning on the bullpen to truly trusting it in high-leverage spots.
The one area the Pirates left untouched was the lineup. No offensive additions came at the deadline, even though there was interest in right-handed bats such as Taylor Ward of the Baltimore Orioles and Jo Adell of the Angels, plus All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman of the Colorado Rookies.
That decision makes some sense given how productive Pittsburgh’s offense has been for most of the season, but the timing is awkward. The Pirates have hit a rough patch lately, with injuries to Endy Rodríguez, Spencer Horwitz, Oneil Cruz, Konnor Griffin and Ryan O'Hearn taking key bats out of the mix.
Cherington said the club expects those injured hitters back before the season ends, with Rodríguez and Horwitz already back, Cruz due in August and Griffin and O'Hearn expected in the middle of September. He also said the Pirates didn’t find a deal that made sense. Still, with the offense slumping and especially struggling against left-handed starting pitching, the lack of a bat leaves a real question mark.
There’s also the rotation to sort out. Mitch Keller landing on the 60-day injured list on Aug. 2 with a right arm teres major muscle injury changed the picture quickly, and his season is essentially done unless there’s a major comeback or a deep postseason run.
That leaves the Pirates needing a fifth starter, and Carmen Mlodzinski is the most likely answer. He opened the first two months of 2026 in the rotation before Jared Jones returned from a long-term injury and bumped him back to the bullpen, where he was stretched out for three- to four-inning outings.
Pittsburgh might have preferred a true starter, but Cherington said the price on the market was too high and that reinforcing the bullpen made more sense for the pitching staff overall. Mlodzinski’s second run as a starter in 2026 was better than the first, though it still came with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. The Pirates could try to use him for four or five innings and bridge the rest with Bachar, or mix and match with other relievers to get through those starts.
Even with the deadline moves, the final stretch still hinges on the rotation holding up. Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler and Jones all need stronger outings, and Mlodzinski has to show he can really handle a starting role.
The bullpen looks far more dangerous now. The bigger question is whether the rest of the roster can catch up in time.
In Other News...
Former Pirates Catcher Had A Deadline Twist Fans Wont Believe
The 2026 MLB trade deadline had a distinctly familiar feel around former Pirates, with several ex-Pittsburgh players on the move as contenders shuffled their rosters. Jack Suwinski, Caleb Ferguson and Jameson Taillon all found new homes, a reminder that once a player leaves Pittsburgh, his path through July can still wind up intersecting with the Pirates in unexpected ways.
Joey Bart, though, was the headliner in the most unusual way. He started the season in Pittsburgh, landed on the injured list with a foot infection, and then kept changing addresses in a hurry as the deadline drama unfolded, a sequence that left him tied to three organizations in less than three months. And before the deadline dust settled, Bart was moved again, this time ending up with the White Sox after a stop with the Braves, a twist that made his season one of the stranger Pirates-adjacent stories of the summer. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Quietly Explored A Catcher Move With Bigger Roster Implications
The Pirates were said to be looking beyond the obvious areas as the Aug. 3 trade deadline approached, with catcher help at least coming up in internal discussions. Pittsburghs focus remained on the bullpen and outfield, but the fact that the club also explored the catching market says a lot about how front offices can use a deadline to examine longer-range roster fits, not just immediate fixes.
One name that surfaced in those talks was Hunter Goodman, a productive young catcher who has emerged as one of Colorados more intriguing trade pieces. A move for him would come with real cost and plenty of complication, which is why the idea never felt like a simple deadline add, and why it remains unclear whether Pittsburgh would have been willing to go the distance if the opportunity had become more serious. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Bullpen Crunch Just Put Another Veteran On The Outside
The Pirates keep churning the edges of the roster, and this latest round brought another familiar bullpen name into the conversation. Pittsburgh selected Ronny Simns contract after releasing designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, then reinstated left-hander Evan Sisk from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Wilber Dotel to make the alignment work.
Chris Devenskis return was the move that stood out most for the relief group. Activated from the 60-day injured list, the veteran right-hander cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis, a reminder of how quickly the bullpen picture can change when the Pirates start squeezing for spots and trying to keep the most useful arms available. [Read more 🡒]