The Pirates took a hit to their bullpen depth on Monday, with right-hander Isaac Mattson being claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners. It closes the book on a three-year run in Pittsburgh’s organization and leaves the club with one fewer experienced arm as it looks ahead to 2027.
Mattson, 31, spent the 2026 season in a steady role out of the bullpen, making 38 appearances for Pittsburgh. The results weren’t nearly as sharp as his 2025 work, though. He finished with a 5.35 ERA, 36 strikeouts and a 1.60 WHIP over 38 2/3 innings after posting a 2.45 ERA in 44 outings the year before.
The Erie native and former University of Pittsburgh standout originally came into the organization on a minor league deal before the 2024 season. He debuted with the Pirates that September and then worked his way into a more reliable bullpen spot in 2025.
Seattle announced the move by saying, “We have claimed RHP Isaac Mattson from the Pittsburgh Pirates off waivers. Isaac has been added to our 40-man roster.”
His exit matters because Pittsburgh already has bullpen questions to sort through. Gregory Soto’s free agency has created uncertainty, and the Pirates still have to figure out how to build around Mason Montgomery, who has emerged as a relief weapon. Mattson’s 2026 numbers made him movable, but the loss still trims down the club’s experienced relief options.
There was at least a small social-media moment for Pirates fans over the weekend involving Brandon Lowe. A fan tagged him in an Instagram story showing a child dressed as Lowe in a Pirates uniform, posed inside a baseball-card-style cutout. Lowe reposted it with the caption, “Costume of the Year?”
That interaction landed at a time when Lowe’s future is already a major offseason storyline. He’s headed into free agency after a huge first year in Pittsburgh, batting .260 with 35 home runs and 96 RBI while also drawing National League Gold Glove finalist recognition. The post doesn’t mean anything definitive, but it did give fans a little hope that a return could still be in play.
For now, though, it’s just a reminder of how quickly Lowe connected with the fan base in his first season in black and gold. Whether that bond turns into another year in Pittsburgh is still unresolved.
The Pirates also came up empty in the Gold Glove Awards despite having two finalists. Lowe and Jared Triolo were both in the mix for National League honors, but neither won.
Milwaukee’s Brice Turang took the second base award for the second time, beating Lowe and St. Louis rookie JJ Wetherholt. Atlanta’s Mauricio Dubón won the utility spot over Triolo and Arizona’s Ildemaro Vargas.
Lowe’s case was especially notable because of the defensive leap he made. After finishing 2025 with minus-14 Defensive Runs Saved and minus-14 Outs Above Average, he flipped the script in his first season with Pittsburgh, finishing at plus-13 DRS and plus-15 OAA. He also ranked third among MLB second basemen with a Fielding Run Value of 12.
Triolo also gave Pittsburgh strong defensive production while moving all over the diamond. He spent most of his time at shortstop and third base, with additional work at first base and in the outfield, and ended the year with plus-5 DRS, including plus-4 at shortstop.
Even without the awards, both players gave the Pirates real value on the infield in 2026.
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