The Pirates have spent July in that awkward middle ground where the record says “maybe,” but the roster says “not quite.” They’re still hanging around .500, still within a few games of the National League Wild Card race, and that’s enough to keep the door open on buying. It is not enough to hand out protection to veterans or keep redundant pieces around just because they’ve been there all year.
They already showed they’re willing to make a move from a place of depth before the deadline even fully arrives. Joey Bart was shipped to Atlanta in the June deal that brought Hunter Stratton back to Pittsburgh, and Stratton has since been recalled after Evan Sisk landed on the injured list with left elbow inflammation. If anything, that’s the clearest sign yet that “useful” may not be enough anymore.
That reality puts a few familiar names in a much shakier spot than they were a month ago.
Marcell Ozuna is the easiest place to start. The Pirates brought him in to steady designated hitter and bring some pop to the middle of the lineup, but that has not been how this has played out.
Through 58 games, he is hitting .202/.286/.324 with seven home runs, 26 RBI and a .610 OPS. For a player whose value is supposed to come almost entirely from the bat, that’s a rough return.
What makes it worse for Ozuna is that the Pirates now have other ways to use those at-bats. Esmerlyn Valdez has pushed his way into the lineup with a 1.096 OPS across his first 21 games, and Endy Rodríguez has given Pittsburgh an .872 OPS while also offering more flexibility when he isn’t behind the plate.
If the Pirates land an outfielder, first baseman or a real designated hitter at the deadline, Ozuna becomes even harder to justify. If they don’t, they’re essentially saying they’re willing to live with a non-impact bat at the one spot built for offense.
Pirates insider @JMackey_PGH thinks Marcell Ozuna's time with the Pirates is running out. Ozuna is a DFA candidate when Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz are back.
"He doesn't fit into their offense right now" pic.twitter.com/3cr5yp07Za
- Austin Bechtold (@AustinRBechtold) July 3, 2026
Gregory Soto is in a different kind of danger, but danger all the same. The bullpen has been too shaky for anybody in the late innings to feel truly safe, and Soto’s numbers haven’t been strong enough to settle that down. He has a 4.25 ERA with 11 saves in 15 chances over 37 appearances.
That’s not a meltdown. It’s just not the kind of ninth-inning certainty a team hovering around the playoff line can afford to trust blindly. If Ben Cherington brings in a legitimate high-leverage reliever - and that would make sense - Soto’s role could shift fast.
The Evan Sisk injury only adds pressure to the situation. Before going on the injured list, Sisk had been one of Pittsburgh’s best arms, putting up a 2.23 ERA in 32 appearances.
With him out, the Pirates need more reliability, not less. Soto may not be in line to lose his spot on the roster, but the closer role should absolutely be up for grabs.
Then there’s Jared Triolo, the kind of player teams usually like to keep around. He can handle multiple infield spots, move around when needed and give a manager some defensive breathing room.
That matters. It just doesn’t guarantee he’s safe.
Triolo is hitting .238/.312/.315 with a .627 OPS in 56 games, while Nick Gonzales has been one of the steadier bats in the lineup at .307/.363/.390. Tyler Callihan has also shown real offensive upside in a smaller sample.
On top of that, Konnor Griffin, Brandon Lowe, Nick Yorke and other internal options are either already in similar lanes or pushing toward them. Not everyone in that group can be treated like a lock.
Triolo’s versatility makes him useful, but it also makes him the sort of player another club could reasonably ask for in a deadline conversation. He’s not the headline piece in any deal, but he could easily end up as part of a package for bullpen help, a bench upgrade or a steadier bat.
In Other News...
WVU Has A Running Back Absence Fans Can't Ignore
West Virginias football media guide arrived without a preseason depth chart, which has become a familiar wrinkle as the Mountaineers head toward fall camp. It leaves the backfield picture unsettled, especially with a young running back group that still has to sort out who fits where behind the top options.
One name drawing attention is freshman SirPaul Cheeks, whose path to Morgantown has already included a torn ACL in high school. He is not yet on the roster, but there is still time before the August 1 domestic freshman enrollment deadline for that to change, and the uncertainty only adds to the sense that the running back room is still taking shape. Other freshmen, including Chris Talley, have shown enough to keep the competition interesting as WVU begins to sort out its depth and roles. [Read more 🡒]
Another WVU Offensive Lineman Just Raised A Familiar Concern
West Virginias updated 2026 roster brought another small but familiar bit of movement along the offensive line, with redshirt freshman Phillip Bowser no longer listed. Bowser did not appear in a game last season and still had four years of eligibility left, so his absence does not change the top of the depth chart, but it does trim one more name from a position group that always seems to be sorting itself out.
For the Mountaineers, the more immediate effect is in the interior-line competition, where every available rep matters as the staff keeps evaluating young players. Bowser had been part of that mix as an interior option, likely at guard with some center flexibility, and his departure leaves a little more room for freshmen Rhett Morris, Camden Goforth and Lamarcus Dillard to push for those snaps. [Read more 🡒]
Aliou Dioum And Keonte Greybear Just Validated WVUs Incoming Class
West Virginias incoming basketball class picked up a little more national respect this week, with Aliou Dioum and Keonte Greybear both moving up to an 89 in recent rating updates. Dioums bump restores his four-star status and puts him at No. 23 among centers in the 2026 class, while Greybear is now viewed as a top-25 combo guard and a three-star recruit.
For a program trying to build momentum with its next wave of talent, those rises matter because they reflect how evaluators are starting to see the class as a whole. Both players are already on campus and practicing with the team, which only adds to the intrigue around how quickly they might fit into the Mountaineers future plans. [Read more 🡒]