The Pirates’ bullpen took a step forward late in 2026, but the work isn’t close to finished.
Pittsburgh still watched too many games slip away earlier in the year, and those blown leads helped pile up in a season that ended without a postseason berth. The front office helped patch things at the trade deadline, and some internal arms improved, but if the Pirates are serious about pushing toward their 2027 goal, they need another proven reliever.
One name that fits the bill is Bryan Abreu.
The right-hander has spent the past eight seasons with the Houston Astros and has been a major part of their bullpen over the last six. His strongest run came from 2022 to 2025, when he logged a 2.30 ERA across 275 games and 281.2 innings, along with a 1.13 WHIP and 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings.
Among relievers in that span, Abreu ranked second in innings pitched, sixth in WAR at 6.0, ninth in ERA and 10th in K/9. His slider and four-seam fastball have helped him post elite whiff and strikeout numbers.
There’s also a built-in connection here. Abreu worked with pitching coach Bill Murphy in Houston, and Murphy took the same job with the Pirates before the 2026 season.
Abreu’s 2026 season was uneven. He struggled in the first half with a 5.81 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP, then settled in after the break with a 1.71 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. That second-half rebound is part of what makes him such an interesting fit for Pittsburgh, especially with Murphy now in the organization.
He’s been used mostly as a setup man throughout his career, which lines up with what the Pirates need: a reliable right-handed high-leverage arm. Luke Weaver arrived at the trade deadline and should be in the setup mix next season, but a bullpen can never have too many trustworthy options.
Abreu also hasn’t been a pitcher who works earlier than the seventh inning. He did that only once for the Astros in 2026, and he hasn’t regularly appeared before the seventh since 2022.
Pittsburgh already has three right-handers who should slide into more middle-relief or bulk work in Lake Bachar, Carmen Mlodzinski and Yohan Ramírez. If the Pirates made a move for Abreu, he would join Weaver and left-handed closer Mason Montgomery as the club’s top three high-leverage arms in 2027, unless more additions come later.
He isn’t without risk. Abreu has dealt with a very high walk rate and has allowed plenty of hard contact. But the Pirates need bullpen help, and they can’t afford a repeat of last offseason, when they didn’t add enough.
The price tag is manageable enough to make the conversation real. The Athletic and ESPN both projected Abreu at one year and $10.5 million, while MLB Trade Rumors projected two years and $22 million, or $11 million annually.
That’s the kind of number Pittsburgh needs to be willing to meet for a veteran reliever of Abreu’s caliber, especially with his history under Murphy. And with the Pirates projected to set a record Opening Day payroll at $100 million before any more moves, there’s a clear case for spending on arms that can help get them back to the postseason for the first time since 2015.
In Other News...
Pirates Suddenly Have A Middle Infield Question They Can't Ignore
Injuries have already pushed the Pirates to think harder about the middle of the diamond, with rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin among the players who have complicated the picture in 2026. Pittsburghs depth there is suddenly a real issue, and it is the kind of problem that can force a front office to look beyond internal options if it wants to keep the infield stable through the season.
One avenue worth watching is Miami, where Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards have surfaced as possible trade fits for the Pirates. Both bring a mix of offensive and defensive value that would make sense for a club trying to shore up the position group, especially with uncertainty hanging over Brandon Lowes future in Pittsburgh. The Marlins are not actively shopping either infielder, but they also do not appear to view them as untouchable, which is enough to keep this possibility alive as the Pirates weigh their next move. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Linked To A Brewers Bullpen Piece They Clearly Need
The Pirates are already being tied to bullpen help this winter, and JoJo Romero has surfaced as a name worth watching. MLB Trade Rumors pegged the left-handed reliever as a potential free-agent fit for Pittsburgh, pointing to the kind of relief upgrade the club has been searching for as it tries to strengthen a group that needs more stability heading into 2027.
Romeros appeal is easy to see from the Pirates side. He just played a meaningful role in Milwaukees championship run, and a pitcher with that kind of late-season track record fits the profile of someone who could slide into a useful leverage spot in Pittsburgh. The question now is whether the Pirates will be willing to move quickly enough to turn that interest into a real addition. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Prospect Breakout Revives A Familiar Oneil Cruz Concern
Tony Blanco Jr. has put himself on the Pirates radar with the kind of raw power that stops people in their tracks, and his breakout season at High-A Greensboro only sharpened the conversation around what kind of hitter he can become. The physical profile is hard to miss, and the ball comes off his bat with the sort of force that makes evaluators dream on the upside, especially for an organization that has spent plenty of time trying to turn loud tools into real production.
The catch, of course, is the same one that has followed Oneil Cruz at times, because elite power does not always arrive with the contact skills needed to make it play every night. Blancos progress has been encouraging, but the challenge now is turning those flashes into something more reliable, and that is where the Pirates will be watching closely as he moves forward. [Read more 🡒]