Via the ups and downs of the previous few a long time of Pirates baseball, the franchise has nearly all the time had a dependable nearer. Whether or not it’s Mark Melancon, Mike Williams or Joel Hanrahan, the ninth inning has nearly all the time had a devoted man — normally an All-Star.
Is that the perfect plan of action for 2026, although?
Longtime nearer David Bednar was dealt to the Yankees in July, opening up probably the most coveted spot within the bullpen. Dennis Santana inherited ninth-inning duties over these closing two months, and he had a terrific season. However you’ll be able to’t rule out the likelihood that the Pirates might go along with a more in-depth by committee in 2026 or play the matchups and leverage. If the center of the order is up within the eighth inning, wouldn’t it make sense to make use of your finest reliever then?
Time will inform how the Pirates deploy their bullpen — they’re nonetheless available in the market for pitching, so they may even add one other leverage reliever — however with out a clear nearer, it raises the query of who has the ninth. Let’s check out some choices for 2026 and the close to future, placing them in groupings.
Look — if it ain’t broke, don’t repair it. Santana entered 2025 with simply 4 profession saves, however he went on to choose up 16 over 19 makes an attempt. He’s proven he can do the job, and he has grown into being a frontrunner out of the bullpen. He checks the containers. But when the Pirates wish to play matchups extra, Santana may very well be much more worthwhile chasing crucial outs of the sport, not simply the final three.
In all chance, that is the sphere of pitchers who might additionally deal with the seventh, eighth or ninth — at the very least to start out the 12 months. Mattson was the bullpen’s most nice shock final 12 months. Soto signed a one-year, $7.75 million contract in December. Lawrence assaults hitters from a sidearm angle and regarded good in his small pattern measurement final 12 months. There are some query marks: Lawrence missed most of final 12 months with a shoulder damage, Soto is trying to rebound after a middling 12 months and Mattson must show final 12 months wasn’t a fluke, however there are some good arms right here who might deal with late innings.
Whereas not precisely a prerequisite, nearly each nearer/leverage arm has large stuff, and Montgomery and Nicolas may need the 2 largest arms within the Pirates’ bullpen. Montgomery’s fastball velocity is topped solely by Aroldis Chapman for left-handed relievers, and Nicolas’ sinker graded because the Pirates’ finest pitch final 12 months, in line with Stuff+.
The catch is Nicolas had a 4.74 ERA and Montgomery a 5.67 ERA final season. They’re each younger and will develop. They’ve the stuff to be forces out of the bullpen. They only have to sharpen their command first.
You possibly can’t actually mission somebody to pitch the eighth or ninth inning if they’ve but to succeed in the present. Bidois and Harbin have been each added to the roster this winter and will make an influence in 2026. Harbin can ramp his fastball as much as triple digits, and Bidois was the group’s Kent Tekulve Minor League Reliever of the Yr, and he did not permit a run over the ultimate two months of the season.
The Pirates haven’t had a devoted rookie nearer since Wealthy Loiselle in 1997, so Harbin and Bidois are lengthy pictures at finest. Nonetheless, each have the potential to grow to be leverage arms within the not so distant future.
Okay, these wild playing cards could also be too wild for consideration, particularly since they’re all getting ready to be starters this winter. We’ve seen Ashcraft and Mlodzinski every as each a starter and a reliever, and the latter has had extra success within the Majors out of the bullpen. Ashcraft impressed as a starter, however his damage historical past does increase query marks of if he’ll be capable of do the job long-term. Each have the stuff and mindset that you’d need out of a more in-depth, in the event that they go down that path.
Kelly is the true thriller right here. He has but to succeed in Triple-A Indianapolis, however he was added to the roster this winter and has a few of the most electrical stuff within the system. Starter, reliever, multi-inning man, there are a variety of completely different hats he might probably put on in 2026.
