ORLANDO, Fla. — The Pirates are coming into a pivotal season in 2026. There’s been a acknowledged urgency to win all offseason, and that was seen in a busy Winter Conferences this week.
Positive, they solely agreed to 1 deal, coming to phrases with lefty reliever Gregory Soto on a one-year, $7.75 million contract, in accordance with a supply and pending a bodily, however there was much more buzz — and extra significant discussions between the membership and brokers and different groups — in 2025. A number of that circled round Kyle Schwarber, who they missed out on regardless of providing what would have been a franchise document four-year, $125 million contract. Lacking out on him meant they needed to pivot their search, however now, they’ve extra readability about how their winter may look.
Let’s have a look again on the final week, with a have a look at what they’ll nonetheless do.
The Pirates completed final in baseball in residence runs (117) and runs (583) in 2025. They clearly have to enhance, and in an ideal world, it could be with left-handed pop. That doesn’t imply they’d flip down hitting right-hander, however aside from Oneil Cruz and the switch-hitting Bryan Reynolds, they don’t have a lot assistance on the left aspect. They’d like to repair that.
The obvious gap to fill is at third base, however there’s some positional flexibility among the many Pirates infielders that they may land a second baseman as an alternative and make it work. They’re concerned with free agent Jorge Polanco and have talked with the Rays about Brandon Lowe, each of whom would additionally assist fill the need for left-handed energy.
The Pirates acquired outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia, the No. 85 prospect in accordance with MLB Pipeline, earlier this month, and whereas he may affect the Main League workforce subsequent 12 months, don’t write his title into the Opening Day outfield but. Pittsburgh would nonetheless prefer to bolster that group, and provided that Lowe hasn’t performed the outfield since 2022, it could be onerous to think about he can be used there if the Pirates commerce for him.
It’s been some time for the reason that Pirates have been linked to family names like Polanco and Lowe and Schwarber, confirmed Main League hitters who would bolster an offense that desperately wants assist. For supervisor Don Kelly, being linked to free brokers like that’s “actually thrilling.”
“Everyone knows how a lot 2026 means and loads of discussions happening about constructing in the direction of that,” Kelly mentioned Monday. “It began proper after the season was over this 12 months. Clearly, 2025 did not go as we had hoped and actually trying ahead to ’26. Simply masking each avenue that we probably can to attempt to enhance the workforce for subsequent 12 months.”
The Pirates had the third-best odds of touchdown the primary total decide within the 2026 Draft, however wound up with the No. 5 (the place they’d have landed within the previous system). Since it is going to be their second straight 12 months with a lottery decide, they are going to be ineligible for one more in 2027. For sure, that makes this decide much more necessary.
The Pirates chosen right-handed pitcher Carter Baumler from the Orioles within the Main League portion of the Rule 5 Draft, however they traded him to the Rangers for Minor League pitcher Jaiker Garcia and money issues. Pittsburgh didn’t lose a participant within the Main League portion, protecting high 30 prospects Omar Alfonzo (No. 20) and Anthony Solometo (No. 26).
Whereas the Pirates’ solely free agent deal so far has been for Soto, the precedence is the offense. They wish to add bats, emphasis on that being plural.
After all, there’s a distinction between having a need and with the ability to get offers performed. Time will inform how profitable they’re with the latter, however Cherington has expressed optimism that it’ll occur.
“[I’m] assured we’re going to land some issues that assist our place participant group, assist our workforce typically,” Cherington mentioned Tuesday. “I don’t know if that’ll occur at the moment or tomorrow, however I believe we now have extra data day by day. It’s extra clear. The market is beginning to transfer. You’re beginning to see some stuff begin to fall. Which means different issues will begin to occur. We simply should be prepared and ready to say sure on the issues that take advantage of sense to us. I’m assured we’ll determine that out.”
