The Pirates’ search for right-handed pop could lead them to an interesting name this offseason, but the fit comes with a built-in warning label.
Cleveland Guardians outfielder Jo Adell showed up at No. 29 on MLB Trade Rumors’ list of the top 40 trade candidates for the 2026-27 offseason, and his bat offers exactly the kind of damage Pittsburgh lacked against left-handed pitching in 2026. Over his last 400 plate appearances versus lefties, Adell has hit .288/.345/.591, and he’s topped 20 home runs in three straight seasons, including a career-best 37 in 2025.
That kind of production would look awfully useful for a Pirates team that was brutal in those matchups. Pittsburgh went 18-33 against left-handed starters in 2026 and finished with a .229 batting average, a .300 on-base percentage and a .359 slugging percentage against them.
All three marks were worst in Major League Baseball. The Pirates also struck out at a 25.6% clip against lefties, the second-worst rate in the league.
So yes, Adell could help solve one of the club’s biggest problems. But the rest of the profile is where things get messy.
Across the past three seasons, Adell has slashed just .230/.292/.430 overall, which amounts to roughly league-average offense despite the home run totals. His aggressive style brings plenty of swing-and-miss, and his struggles to get on base against right-handed pitching make him a far shakier option if a team is looking for an everyday middle-of-the-order answer.
That’s the part that should make Pittsburgh pause.
The Pirates spent much of 2026 fighting offensive inconsistency, even while setting a new franchise home run record. They could explode in one game and disappear in the next, and adding another hitter with on-base issues risks feeding the same problem instead of fixing it.
There’s also the money. Adell is projected to make about $9.6 million through arbitration in 2027, which would be his final season before free agency. Cleveland picked him up from the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline, but MLB Trade Rumors noted the Guardians could consider moving him again rather than paying nearly $10 million for a player with such pronounced splits.
For the Pirates, that means a potential trade would require both a meaningful financial commitment and prospect capital. And while there’s a case for using Adell in a carefully managed platoon role, that’s a pricey way to address one weakness while possibly creating another.
Pittsburgh doesn’t just need a hitter who can mash lefties. It needs a lineup that can hold up no matter who’s on the mound. Adell could help in one very specific lane, but the question is whether that help is worth the cost when the larger issue is balance.
In Other News...
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The front office now has a decision to make with Horwitz and Ryan O'Hearn in the mix, and that could push the Pirates toward a move that creates more flexibility elsewhere. Horwitz still has multiple seasons of team control, which makes the choice more complicated than a simple short-term reset, but the organization may soon have to decide whether the long view or the cleaner roster fit matters more. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates May Have Found An Offseason Fix For Their Lefty Problem
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There is a hard deadline hanging over all of it. Pittsburgh has a narrow stretch to keep shaping the roster before the current labor agreement expires on Dec. 1, a date that could freeze the market if a lockout follows. The Pirates still have clear needs to sort through, from the infield to the bullpen, and they also have a key internal decision to make with Brandon Lowe. For a club that has finally built some momentum, the next few weeks may determine whether this becomes a one-year step forward or the start of something bigger. [Read more 🡒]