The Pirates are heading into an offseason that demands discipline as much as ambition. Pittsburgh has a young rotation, a workable lineup and a bullpen that needs help if this team is going to look like a real postseason threat.
On top of that, the payroll is already projected at $100 million before any outside additions are made. That means every move has to count.
Brandon Lowe is the clearest place to start. There’s no real debate here: the Pirates should bring him back.
His left-handed power fit PNC Park, and in 2026 he was the best power-hitting second baseman in baseball. He also turned himself into a National League Gold Glove Award finalist after being a terrible fielder in 2025, and his voice carried weight in the clubhouse.
Pirates players spoke in depth about what Lowe means to the team, and the front office and ownership won’t have much room to explain it away if they let him walk.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic projected a three-year, $45 million contract, or $15 million AAV, and that sounds like the kind of deal Pittsburgh should be ready to make. The Pirates are going to have to spend more than they ever have this winter, but Lowe, even at 32 with an injury history, looks like the easiest yes on the board.
If Lowe doesn’t return, the Pirates would need to pivot at second base, and Luis Arraez would immediately enter the conversation. He’s one of the top free-agent second basemen available, and he’s built a reputation as one of the game’s elite batting-average hitters, with three batting titles to his name.
He’s also improved defensively, posting +12 OAA and +10 FRV after previously being a poor fielder. But the fit is shaky for Pittsburgh.
Arraez brings almost no power, with just 42 home runs across nearly 1,000 MLB games, and the Pirates need more pop if they’re going to spend big on an infielder. A long-term deal for him doesn’t line up well, especially when Nick Gonzales already gave them a similar batting-average profile, finishing sixth in baseball with a .303 average, and would cost far less.
Third base is another spot where the Pirates have to get creative, and Zack Gelof stands out as a realistic target. He started 66 of 70 games at third for the Athletics in 2026 and posted +9 defensive runs saved, along with +1 outs above average and +1 fielding run value.
At the plate, he hit .256/.322/.475 with an .797 OPS in 111 games, adding 101 hits, 16 doubles, 22 home runs and 55 RBI. He also handled left-handed pitching well, hitting .286/.342/.543 with an .885 OPS and seven home runs, which is exactly the kind of production Pittsburgh could use in 2027.
Gelof is heading into his first year of arbitration, and MLB Trade Rumors projects him at $2.9 million in 2027, with two more years of team control after that. For a club trying to stay financially sharp while pushing toward contention, that makes him an appealing trade target.
The Pirates could also explore bigger names like Isaac Paredes of the Houston Astros and Nolan Arenado of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Both are right-handed power bats who would help the lineup. But Paredes would cost north of $13 million, while Arenado, at $6 million, comes with another complication: he may not waive his no-trade clause to join Pittsburgh.
Mitch Keller is the move that will divide people the most, but the Pirates probably shouldn’t trade him. He had a rough 2026, finishing with a 5.29 ERA over 22 starts and missing the final two months with a right arm teres major muscle injury.
He’s set to make $18.5 million in 2027, the fourth year of the five-year, $77 million extension he signed on Feb. 22, 2024, and his Stuff+ has dropped since his All-Star 2023 season. There’s understandable concern about the roughly $38 million left on that deal.
Still, moving him would only create another hole in a rotation that already needs depth.
It’s also hard to see another team taking on Keller’s full contract, especially after the limited trade interest he drew last offseason and at the 2025 trade deadline. Even with the concerns, he still has value if he can get back to the pitcher who earned that extension in the first place.
The Pirates need a veteran starter who can take innings and doesn’t come with a long injury list, and Keller fits that description. With Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, Jared Jones and Bubba Chandler in the mix, the rotation has upside, but Ashcraft and Jones have dealt with serious injuries, while Skenes and Chandler aren’t guaranteed to stay healthy.
And if Pittsburgh moved Keller, it would likely need to spend similar money on another starter anyway.
The bottom line is that the Pirates have to be selective. Lowe should be back.
Gelof makes sense. Keller probably stays.
Arraez looks like the wrong kind of splurge. Pittsburgh has options, but this is the winter to use them wisely.
In Other News...
Pirates Face A Tough Bullpen Decision With Derek Diamond
Derek Diamonds rise through the Pirates system has put him squarely on the radar at a tricky time for the organization. The right-hander was recognized as the clubs Kent Tekulve Reliever of the Year after a strong minor league season, and that kind of progress tends to force a front office to make harder choices than it would like.
Now comes the part Pittsburgh has to sort through before the Rule 5 Draft, when eligible prospects can be taken by other teams if they are left unprotected. The Pirates have limited room on the 40-man roster and more than one player to consider, so Diamonds case is part performance, part timing, and part roster math, with the final call carrying real consequences for the bullpen picture ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Skenes Gave Pirates Fans A Fun Offseason Look Away From Baseball
Paul Skenes has spent the fall away from the mound after wrapping up his 2026 season, and the Pirates ace gave fans a lighter offseason moment this week with a Halloween look that had nothing to do with pitch counts or radar guns. He and Livvy Dunne leaned into the holiday with a nod to the movie Elf, giving Pittsburgh supporters a rare glimpse of the couple in full offseason mode.
The pair shared the costumes on social media, and the contrast fit the moment well: Skenes is coming off another notable year on the mound, while Dunne is preparing for her acting debut in Foxs Baywatch reboot, set to premiere in January 2027. For Pirates fans, it was a reminder that even in the quiet months, Skenes still finds a way to stay in the spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Face A Rotation Question That Could Test Their Offseason Plan
The Pirates offseason plan has already pointed toward pitching depth, and the latest wrinkle is the shape of their rotation. Right now, Pittsburghs starting group is all right-handed, which leaves the club open to adding a lefty if the right opportunity comes along. That search fits with a front office that has also been weighing internal options, including the possibility of promoting rookies, while trying to keep the staff balanced for the long haul.
One name that has surfaced in that conversation is Foster Griffin, coming off a strong 2026 season split between the Nationals and Guardians. The fit is easy to understand from Pittsburghs side, but so is the challenge: any pursuit will have to be measured against what the market asks for and how much the Pirates want to commit to a pitcher who would be brought in as part of a broader rotation puzzle rather than as a simple plug-and-play answer. [Read more 🡒]