The Pittsburgh Pirates have been messing with their fans long enough. Once again their payroll languished right near the bottom of major league baseball.
They were a few million above what the Dodgers paid Shohei Ohtani, a few above what the Yankees paid Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole.
They have nevered started a season nor ended it with a payroll exceeding $100 million. Only five teams did not reach that total to start the 2024 season.
In PNC Park, the team plays in arguably baseball’s most beautiful ballpark. The walk to the stadium is spectacular as you cross Roberto Clemente bridge with a view of the Steelers home stadium.
In that park in 2024 the team found themselves enjoying baseball’s shiniest new star, pitcher in Paul Skenes. The righthander made such a splash that he started the all star game for the National League. He most certainly will finish first or second for rookie of the year.
Pirates wasted great pitching before
That’s not all the Pirates have in the young pitching department. This is however Deja-vu, how would you feel about a starting staff of Gerrit Cole, Tyler Glasnow and Jameson Taillon?
That’s the 2017 Pirates and Joe Musgrove arrived the next season. They were all soon gone and that staff totalled two wild card games.
It’s possible that the Bucs are at the door of another run of great young pitchers with Skenes an obvious ace. Jared Jones just 22 years old and a former second round pick looks to be a solid number two. Luis Ortiz (25) finished up with a 3.32 ERA.
Meanwhile they’ve locked up Mitch Keller (28) for four more years and he can settle in nicely without having to pitch at the top of the rotation like in his last two seasons. Prospect Bubba Chandler (22) looks to be on the cusp.
While closer David Bednar had his first poor season, the rest of the bullpen looked prett good. It’s the every day players that needs more punch and that’s where money needs to be allocated. The teams had just four above average hitters.
Bucs need to go get hitting
Left fielder Bryan Reynolds (119 OPS+) has already been locked up for six more years and a club option. Shortstop O’neill Cruz (113 OPS+) is making the transition to center field. The acquisition of Catcher Joey Bart, a former number two overall pick, looks like a stroke of genuis.
After stiffing in San Francisco, he broke out in his half season 265/337/462, leaving the team with a pair of former top catching prospects without a place to play. Endy Rodriguez, injured most of 2024 and Henry Davis.
Veteran Andrew McCutcheon gave them value in the DH spot (105 OPS+), He is much loved in Pittsburgh and offers a look for youngsters to emulate.
They desperately need third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes to fulfill his promise which he looked to be doing at the end of 2023 but fell back off this season and all of a sudden he’s 27 and he’s locked in through age 32.
Imagine if they spent some free agent cash and filled in at first base (Pete Alonso or Christian Walker), rightfield (Teoscar Hernandez or perhaps Tyler O’neill) and maybe Willie Adames or Ha-Seong Kim at shortstop or second? C’mon Pirates spend some money, you owe it to this next crop of pitchers.
