Ben Cherington went into the deadline with a clear mission: fix the bullpen. By the time the dust settled, he had done more than that. He’d basically redrawn the Pirates’ entire relief map.
Pittsburgh came into deadline week carrying a 4.34 relief ERA and just 22 saves in 42 chances, so the need was obvious. Cherington answered by bringing in Luke Weaver, Camilo Doval, Lake Bachar and Kirby Yates, and he did it without touching any Pirates prospects ranked in MLB’s top 100.
The only top-30 names dealt were Sammy Stafura, Pittsburgh’s No. 9 prospect, and Omar Alfonzo, who ranked No. 28.
For four established arms, that’s a strong return on the investment.
That overhaul also matters because Carmen Mlodzinski likely won’t stay in the bullpen arrangement for now. Mitch Keller’s season-ending teres major injury opens a rotation spot, and Mlodzinski is the clear candidate to move back into a starting role. The deadline additions gave Pittsburgh the freedom to make that switch without leaving the relief corps exposed.
As things stand, Weaver looks like the favorite to handle the ninth inning. The 32-year-old has been excellent, with a 1.84 ERA, a 0.82 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 44 innings.
Right-handed hitters have barely touched him, batting .099 with a .322 OPS, which makes him the obvious answer when the toughest part of an opposing right-handed order comes up. He may not get every save chance, but he gives Don Kelly a dependable late-game anchor.
Mason Montgomery appears set up as the top setup man and the most likely alternative if Weaver isn’t available to close. The lefty owns a 3.72 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 46 innings, and left-handed hitters have had a hard time doing anything against him. Rather than locking him into one fixed inning, Kelly can use him wherever the matchup calls for it, especially when a lineup is stacked with dangerous lefties.
Doval fits naturally into the seventh inning, though his closing background gives the Pirates another lever to pull if Weaver or Montgomery is down. His 4.54 ERA with the Yankees doesn’t jump off the page, but right-handed hitters managed only a .143 average against him, and his road ERA was 1.86. Pittsburgh is clearly betting that his upper-90s stuff will translate better outside Yankee Stadium.
Yates, Bachar and Yohan Ramírez deepen the middle innings and give Kelly more ways to navigate games without overusing the back end. Yates posted a 3.95 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 12 walks in 27.1 innings for the Angels.
He still brings closing experience, but he no longer has to be the guy every night. Bachar put up a 3.84 ERA over 58 2/3 innings and can cover multiple frames or even work as an opener.
Ramírez has been quietly effective, with a 3.00 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 60 innings, including a 0.46 ERA over his last 15 appearances. That kind of length makes him useful in bullpen games, too.
The left-handed pair behind Montgomery should be used more selectively. Gregory Soto has a 3.59 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and 14 saves, but the added depth lets him settle back into a matchup fireman role. He can come in during the sixth or seventh to shut down a rally or take on a dangerous lefty without being automatically tied to the final three outs.
Evan Sisk, who is on the 15-day IL, profiles as the other matchup lefty once he returns. He has a 2.23 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 36.1 innings, and he should generally work in the fifth or sixth. He could also be used later in close games against a left-handed hitter once he’s activated, which is expected in the coming days.
Wilber Dotel gives Pittsburgh another option for long relief and the occasional spot start, along with Mlodzinski. His ability to cover multiple innings should help preserve the rest of the group after short starts and make him valuable alongside Bachar and Ramírez when the Pirates need a less conventional pitching plan.
There’s also more depth waiting at Triple-A. Isaac Mattson, Brandon Eisert, Noah Murdock, Antwone Kelly, Khristian Curtis, Hunter Barco and Thomas Harrington all give the Pirates a mix of short-relief, multi-inning and spot-start options on the 40-man roster.
This bullpen isn’t built around crossing its fingers and hoping the same two arms are available every night. Cherington gave Kelly specific weapons for specific jobs, plus enough depth to withstand the injuries and workload issues that always show up in a playoff chase.
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The bigger worry is not just results, but how they are arriving. His fastball has lost some of the life that made it such a weapon, with reduced spin and less movement helping opponents square him up more often. Evaluators have pointed to mechanical issues in his delivery as part of the problem, though those concerns are being addressed, which leaves Pittsburgh hoping this is a fixable slump rather than the start of a deeper problem. [Read more 🡒]