Bob Nutting’s April message sounded ambitious enough. He said the Pirates should be chasing the postseason and playing meaningful games in the stretch run, then wrapped it all in the familiar language of “process, time, perseverance and patience.” The problem is the schedule has now made the point for him.
Pittsburgh’s 4-3 win over the Cubs on September 13 got them back to 75-75, but the momentum hasn’t carried. They’ve since lost two straight to the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers, and with 12 games left they sit 7 1/2 games behind the final NL Wild Card spot.
A playoff berth is no longer the conversation. Even getting into the low-to-mid 80s would require the Pirates to stay hot the rest of the way.
And if they do fall just short of October, the excuse that they need more time to evaluate the young core won’t hold much water anymore. This group has already shown enough to shape the offseason.
Oneil Cruz has posted an .845 OPS. Nick Gonzales is hitting .307.
Esmerlyn Valdez, who is out for the season, hit 17 homers in 72 games. Konnor Griffin is back in the lineup, signed through 2034 and slashed .262/.315/.384 in his first 70 games.
On the pitching side, Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler and Jared Jones have piled up more than 560 innings combined.
That’s a real base. It’s also incomplete, and the answer isn’t to keep waiting for every piece to mature at once.
The Pirates need to start buying help. That’s why free agency and the trade market exist - for teams that are serious about pushing forward instead of sitting on their hands.
There is at least one argument Nutting can point to: the club’s franchise-high $102 million Opening Day payroll, which was up more than $14 million from the year before. Pittsburgh did spend more, did bring in real major-league talent, and did win more games. But that’s the first step, not the finish line.
Brandon Lowe is the obvious place to begin. Entering Thursday, he had 31 homers, 88 RBI and an .813 OPS, and he’s set to become a free agent after the season.
Keeping him would stabilize a lineup that still needs another bat. Letting him go would send the Pirates right back to square one.
They need Lowe’s production, or something close to it, at second base, and they still need another proven hitter at first base or in a corner-outfield spot.
The bullpen can’t be ignored either. Gregory Soto and Kirby Yates, who is currently on the IL, are both headed toward free agency, and Mason Montgomery can’t be asked to carry the whole back end by himself. Ben Cherington needs to bring in at least two relievers who can handle high-leverage work.
The rotation has earned this team a chance, but there’s a workload issue that has to be addressed. Ashcraft got to 165 1/3 innings before going on the IL with a hip injury.
Chandler has already thrown 147 1/3 innings. A durable veteran starter would give Pittsburgh some protection and keep one injury from turning into a giant hole.
If the Pirates finish around 85 wins and still miss the playoffs, the offseason direction should be clear enough: pay for the wins they still need.
In Other News...
Pirates Own Up To A Costly Mistake Fans Wont Forget
A scoring chance slipped away against the Brewers when the Pirates put together a play that should have put pressure on Milwaukee, only to have the moment unravel on the bases. Nick Gonzales and designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn were involved in the miscue, with third base coach Tony Beasley at the center of the decision that led to Gonzales being held at third.
Beasley owned the mistake after saying he did not see the ball clearly, and Gonzales said he simply followed the instruction he was given. It was the kind of miscommunication that can linger because it cost the Pirates a real chance to add a run, and it left a familiar frustration for a team trying to squeeze every bit out of tight games. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Face A Real Brandon Lowe Test They Usually Avoid
Brandon Lowe has been one of the quieter success stories of the Pirates' recent roster churn, and this season has only raised the stakes around how long he stays in Pittsburgh. Acquired in a three-team trade last offseason, Lowe has turned in one of the best years of his career, with 30 home runs and an .803 OPS, giving the Pirates the middle-order production they have been chasing.
The harder part comes after the season, when Lowe is set for free agency and the Pirates may be forced to decide whether to extend a qualifying offer they are likely to see rejected. There is already speculation that Lowe could be looking for a two- to three-year deal, which would put him on a collision course with a club that usually prefers one-year contracts and makes this more than a simple keep-or-let-go decision. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Fans Are Bracing For Another Ben Cherington Decision
The Pirates are drifting toward another long winter with little to show for a season that never got far off the ground. Injuries have played their part, but the larger problem is the same one that has followed Ben Cherington through seven seasons in charge: a club that keeps arriving at September with more questions than answers, even after a few offseason moves hinted at a more encouraging direction.
Pittsburgh still sits seven games back in the NL Wild Card race with 11 games left, which leaves the club little margin to create any late drama. So the attention is already shifting beyond the standings and toward Cheringtons future, with fans and observers wondering whether the front office will keep the same voice guiding what comes next. [Read more 🡒]