The Pittsburgh Pirates are still moving carefully with the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline about a month away, but that cautious approach may be costing them a chance to fix one of their biggest issues.
If Ben Cherington wants to change the tone around this team, the path is pretty clear: strengthen the bullpen. The name in play is a familiar one, Aroldis Chapman, and the question is whether the Pirates are willing to pay what it takes to get him.
One proposal making the rounds would send infielder Termarr Johnson and pitcher Antwone Kelly to Pittsburgh’s bullpen target. MLB writer John Perrotto suggested that kind of package could be enough to land Chapman, and while that would be a hefty price, it’s the kind of move the Pirates need to be ready to make if they want to push toward the postseason.
Johnson is the tougher piece to part with on paper. He was a former fourth-overall pick, and Chapman is 38 years old, so there’s obvious hesitation in moving a young talent for a short-term bullpen upgrade.
But Johnson’s stock has taken a hit. The 22-year-old has struggled badly this year at Triple-A, hitting .168 across 279 plate appearances with just four home runs and 21 runs batted in. At this point, the Pirates have other infield options in the system, and with a superstar 20-year-old already on the MLB roster in Konnor Griffin, Johnson looks more useful as trade currency than as a future cornerstone.
Kelly still has upside, but if the Pirates are serious about getting one and a half seasons of Chapman, that’s the kind of prospect cost they should be willing to absorb.
Cherington’s recent comments about the Trade Deadline suggest the Pirates may not be planning any major swings. They could add another bullpen arm, and after the club swapped Joey Bart for Hunter Stratton, they don’t appear eager to chase another big-name move.
That would be the wrong call. If the chance is there to turn Termarr Johnson and Antwone Kelly into Aroldis Chapman, the Pirates should do it.
In Other News...
Pirates May Have Found The Bullpen Fix Fans Wanted All Along
The Pirates have spent much of the season looking for relief help, and the search keeps circling back to the same basic question: can they find someone who actually steadies the middle innings without costing them too much in talent or payroll? That is why a Miami arm has started to draw attention. He fits the kind of profile Pittsburgh tends to like in trade talks, with a strong year on the mound and the flexibility to handle more than one inning when needed.
What makes him especially intriguing is the combination of performance and control. He has been productive this season and remains in a pre-arbitration window that keeps him affordable for now, which matters for a club trying to fix a bullpen without creating another problem elsewhere. In a market that also includes bigger names and pricier alternatives, the Pirates may have found a quieter route to the help they need, even if the final cost and timing still have to play out. [Read more 🡒]
Former Dodgers Reliever Is Back In The News For A Tough Reason
Lou Trivino is back on a major league roster, as the Phillies shuffled their bullpen by optioning Chase Shugart to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and bringing up the veteran right-hander. For a reliever who has bounced through several stops in recent years, the move puts him back in a familiar role with a club that already knows what it can get from him, even if the assignment is a limited one.
Philadelphia is expected to use Trivino in low-leverage spots and in games that have already tilted heavily one way or the other, which is hardly glamorous but still valuable for a staff that needs arms to cover innings. He has also logged time with the Yankees, Giants, Dodgers and Orioles, and his latest return gives the Phillies another experienced option as they sort through the middle and back end of the bullpen. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Face Painful Trade Deadline Call To Fix Their Bullpen
The Pirates are headed into the trade deadline with a familiar problem at the top of the to-do list: the bullpen has not held up well enough, and help looks like a necessity rather than a luxury. Pittsburghs front office is weighing the cost of getting a real late-inning arm, with recent trades for high-impact relievers offering a reminder that the market for this kind of upgrade is rarely cheap.
Levi Sterling is one of the names being discussed as part of the kind of package it might take, and that alone says plenty about how serious the Pirates may need to get if they want to solve the issue quickly. The challenge now is balancing urgency against the future, because improving the bullpen could require giving up real talent, and the deadline has a way of making those decisions even harder. [Read more 🡒]