Offseason In Review: Pittsburgh Pirates

It was another modest offseason for the Pirates, who are banking on their young arms to carry them into contention.

Major League Signings

• LHP Andrew Heaney: One year, $5.25MM
• DH/OF Andrew McCutchen: One year, $5MM
• OF Tommy Pham: One year, $4.025MM
• LHP Caleb Ferguson: One year, $3MM
• 2B/OF Adam Frazier: One year, $1.525MM
• LHP Tim Mayza: One year, $1.15MM
• RHP Elvis Alvarado: split deal, later lost to Athletics on waivers

2025 spending: $19.95MM
Total spending: $19.95MM

Option Decisions

• Club declined $15MM option on LHP Marco Gonzales

Trades and Claims

• Claimed IF Tristan Gray off waivers from Athletics (Gray was later outrighted, elected free agency and signed with the White Sox)
• Claimed 1B/OF Trey Cabbage from Astros (Cabbage was later released to sign with NPB's Yomiuri Giants)
• Acquired RHP Peter Strzelecki from Guardians for cash
• Acquired 1B/2B Spencer Horwitz from Guardians for RHP Luis Ortiz, LHP Josh Hartle, LHP Michael Kennedy
• Acquired IF Enmanuel Valdéz from Red Sox for RHP Joe Vogatsky
• Acquired RHP Brett de Geus from Blue Jays for cash (later lost de Geus to Marlins on waivers)
• Acquired RHP Chase Shugart from Red Sox for RHP Matt McShane
• Claimed RHP Justin Lawrence off waivers from the Rockies

Extensions

• None

Notable Minor League Signings

• Yohan Ramírez, Isaac Mattson, Tanner Rainey, Hunter Stratton, Carson Fulmer, Nick Solak, Darick Hall, Burch Smith, Bryce Johnson, DJ Stewart, Ryder Ryan, Ryan Borucki

Notable Losses

• Luis Ortiz, Yasmani Grandal, Aroldis Chapman, Jalen Beeks, Rowdy Tellez, Michael A. Taylor, Marco Gonzales, Billy McKinney, Jake Woodford, Justin Bruihl, Edward Olivares, Domingo Germán, Connor Joe (non-tendered), Bryan De La Cruz (non-tendered)

It's been a rough few decades for the Pirates. They didn't make the playoffs between 1993 and 2012. They then got three straight Wild Card berths, but advanced to the NLDS just once. They started a new playoff drought in 2016 that continues to this day.

There have been some signs of potential lately. In 2023, they were 20-9 at the end of April, but they went 8-18 in May and finished at 76-86. They hovered near contention last year, sitting at 48-48 at the All-Star break, but again finished at 76-86.

Despite those losing seasons, there are exciting elements on the roster. Their collection of rotation talent is one of the best in the league, fronted by Paul Skenes but also including Jared Jones, Mitch Keller, Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler, Mike Burrows and Thomas Harrington. They also have position players Bryan Reynolds, Ke'Bryan Hayes and Oneil Cruz in place for years to come.

Ideally, the club would have invested around this young core, but that didn't come to pass this winter. The offseason included one notable trade, which is essentially a risky bet on a late bloomer, and several modest free agent signings. They gave out seven one-year deals, none of them worth more than $5.25MM, spending less than $20MM in total. Some of those moves are fine in isolation but the total package is underwhelming.

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