Pirates general manager Ben Cherington is among the many executives who spoke with the media at the GM Meetings this week. The fifth-year baseball operations leader indicated the rotation has been the focus in the early going.
“We’ve been mostly focused on starting pitching, both in free agency and trade,” Cherington said of the offseason’s first few days (link via Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). “We would like to add to our position player group, too. But more of our energy has gone to the pitching market early on.”
Bringing in a starter or two seems an obvious goal for the front office. Pittsburgh had five starters log 50+ innings this past season. None had an ERA better than Mitch Keller’s 4.21 mark. Rich Hill was traded and is now a free agent. Roansy Contreras had a disastrous season that saw him optioned to the minors on a couple occasions. Luis Ortiz allowed nearly five earned runs per nine with almost as many walks as strikeouts.
Despite a disappointing second half, Keller has one rotation spot secure as the current staff ace. Johan Oviedo logged 177 2/3 innings over a full slate of 32 starts. The results — a 4.31 ERA with a 20.2% strikeout percentage and lofty 10.6% walk rate — were serviceable enough that Oviedo likely goes into Spring Training with a job in hand. JT Brubaker could return midseason after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April.
That still leaves multiple vacancies, as none of Quinn Priester, Bailey Falter nor Osvaldo Bido pitched well in smaller samples. No one will expect the Bucs to make a run at Blake Snell or Aaron Nola, but they have the payroll room to add a third or fourth tier free agent. Bryan Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes are the only two players with guaranteed contracts totaling a combined $17MM next season. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects the arbitration class to earn roughly $16MM. The Pirates opened 2023 with a player payroll around $73MM, as calculated by Cot’s Baseball Contracts.
Cherington and his group thus have the ability to consider mid-level free agent options like Seth Lugo, Jack Flaherty or Michael Wacha. If they prefer the one-year route — a tack they’ve taken in prior offseasons — someone like Wade Miley or Hyun Jin Ryu could be a possibility.
They’ll need to weigh any rotation investment against what they hope to accomplish on the position player side. Cherington said the club would like to add at first base. Pittsburgh traded Carlos Santana at the deadline and relied mostly on Connor Joe and Alfonso Rivas down the stretch. Joe’s production was mostly concentrated against left-handed pitching; Rivas was waived and lost to Cleveland.
With Santana back on the open market, a reunion could be an option. Brandon Belt, Rhys Hoskins and longtime division rival Joey Votto join him in the free agent class. Rowdy Tellez and Dominic Smith are non-tender candidates.
It seems first base is the most pressing infield need for the Bucs. Cherington expressed more confidence in their internal second base options, which are headlined by Ji Hwan Bae, Liover Peguero and Nick Gonzales. None of the group had much success this year — they were 26th in OPS at the position — but it doesn’t seem an addition is a priority, even if Cherington added that they’re “not ruling out adding someone.” A middling free agent market led by Whit Merrifield, Amed Rosario and Tim Anderson could play a role in that.
One free agent who seems likely to wind up in Pittsburgh is franchise icon Andrew McCutchen. The veteran outfielder has been clear about his desire to finish his career in the Steel City. Cherington has reciprocated that interest on multiple occasions, something he reiterated yesterday. The GM told reporters that he has had multiple conversations with McCutchen’s camp since the season ended (link via Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review).
If McCutchen returns, he’d rejoin Reynolds and Henry Davis among the corner outfield/designated hitter options. Davis, a former #1 overall pick, saw the bulk of his time in right field as a rookie. Cherington stressed the organization still views the Louisville product as a viable option at catcher, though, even if their playing time share in 2023 suggested they viewed fellow first-year backstop Endy Rodríguez as a better defender behind the plate.
They can shop for SPs all they want, but something tells me they’ll end up with Flaherty or Kyle Gibson. Believe me when I tell you when it comes to FA starters, their mind is on one thing: what can we get for him in a deadline flip? If I sound jaded it’s because I’m jaded.
Half or more of the teams will be looking for starting pitching upgrades and there’s not that much help available so there’s going to be a lot of settling and disappointment.
Most ardent Pirates fans feel the same way, solaris602 and knowing how Nutting feels about increasing the payroll substantially whichever FA pitcher they are likely to sign, it will be at the bottom of the barrel and equally in money
I just don’t trust Cherington to sign a pitcher that isn’t a reclamation project or a year or two away from retirement
thus why I’d prefer a trade.
Miami has a lot of depth, including Sixto Sanchez on the buy-low
alek manoah another good bounce back option
‘Bounce’ being the operative word.
Any deal should stipulate that he comes with a gastric band fitted.
he hasn’t pitched this decade I don’t think, I llike Miami as a trade target as well but unless they get him for free, look at someone else.
I mean I’d offer Nick Gonzalez for Sixto in a heartbeat
Why spend $? Quintana Velasquez cost 3m and pitched better than guys who got tens of millions for multiple years. Anderson not bad either.
I wish I knew more about Velazquez’ health. His successful streak last year was brief but promising. But his track record going into last year was poor… IMO.
Vince had to get Tommy John and is projected to miss the 1st half of next season
Raise the Jolly Rodger!
Add whoever you want they will continue to suck until they get a better owner
1 they will have winning teams this decade with Bob. 2. A new owner won’t spend anymore or much more $ unless Cohen sells the Mets and buys the Pirates.
They’ve been doing that for over 20 years.
They have to add a player on a multi year deal, but as far as a lot of money allocated to a starting pitcher I would say that’s reserved for a Keller extension. Manaea, Lugo, ect on a 2 or 3 year deal and another innings eater would be ideal. If they could get something for Bea or Gonzalez that would be a win
Manaea and lugo are prob out of their range
No they aren’t. They will spend 30 to 50 million for the right guy.
Lol, like all the other times they spent that kinda money on pitching, right? The Pirates won’t spend on anything significant because they have the 2nd worst owner in baseball, and it’s pretty hard to attract free agents when your product is absolute crap every year. Not really Ben’s fault, but facts are facts. Case in point, their biggest FA contract ever is still Francisco Liriano at an earth shattering 3yr/39 million dollar deal. Jason Kendall’s 60 million dollar deal is still the 3rd biggest contract in team history, signed 23 years ago. But yes, they’ll spend.
You guys all in massive debt or just want to spend Bobs $ ? Liriano and Burnett were 2 of the best starters available. Why would Bob spend 2 3 4 times more for the same or lesser pitching? They tried to keep Happ. Unfortunately kept Nova. Every contending team Bob spent what was necessary.
They’ve been incredibly fortunate with adding pitchers who in most cases were reclamation projects. In fact, I can’t think of any starter they signed in the past ten years who turned out to be a train wreck, not even Nova
And that’s pretty amazing given that they have signed a boat load of dumpster types as position players. A lot of conclusions one can draw
This off season is different. They have two starters as we speak. Will BC aim a bit higher to augment that staff?
Derek Holland. Trevor Cahill. These are two train wrecks, and there are more.
Wandy Rodriguez was a worthless pickup at a crucial time
Holland Cahill were during tank years and cheap. Can’t be trainwrecks.
Wandy was fine. Bad injury luck or medical staff failure.
Yep. Selective memory on my part. Thanks
They offered Keller an extension last summer but Mitch doesn’t want a “ homegrown discount “ type deal
If they succeed in signing him it will cost more than they want to pay
Yeah, that was—and is—troubling. Mitch has said the right things about wanting to stay on, as did Reynolds before him. They finally caved on the latter but I wonder about their thinking on Keller. To me at least, they have no choice
I understand Roy’s thinking above. He’s right about their history. But I’m wondering about Cherington’s viewpoint in all of this. He’s a bright guy and has to see that this team can contend in the NL Central if some moves are made this off season If they do nothing or hit the dumpsters this off season, it’ll only bear out Roy’s point that they remain a cheap organization. I’d hope that WVSteve is right….that they see the opportunity and are willing to spend for it.
But actions speak louder than words
Hoping I’m right as well. I do believe they will try to add a 2 to 3 year contracts for a SP. they will try to trade for or sign a 4th or 5th guy, but one of the 3 young guys who stunk last year has to step up. It is time that they put their money where their mouth is and do more this off season then they have the past 3 years.
Rule 5 pitching will be in high demand this year.
Every Team – Has focus on Starting Pitching
Notice the past tense use in the sentence. The focus has changed due to being too expensive.
Breaking: Every MLB team is focused on pitching
1. Sign Belt
2. Sign Lugo
3. Sign Yariel Rodriguez
4. Sign Manaea
5. Trade for Drury
Some of those guys are going to get more the. You might think
Every single team seems to need pitching. The top of the market is about to get paid. Mid market is about to get paid. Who will have the ability to wait out the market and pick the right rebound or never were but hope to be something guys.
1. If they want to be a playoff team, they can’t run it back with Carlos Santana. Need a much better bat acquired in FA or via trade.
2. Need a legitimate quality LHSP, like Eduardo Rodriquez for example, and a bounce back reclamation candidate on a 1-year deal, like Flaherty or Severino, too.
3. Acquiring an ascending player to play either CF or RF makes a ton of sense if Davis is going to platoon at C and DH. I like the idea of signing Lee from Korea to be a strong defensive CF/leadoff bat, if they get a masher at 1B. If not, go after a power bat to play RF.
4. Trade at least one, if not two, of Nick G, Peguero, Triolo, and Bae to solidify the glaring weaknesses on roster. If necessary, include a prospect SP not named Skenes, Chandler, or Solomento to get the right 1B/RF/CF.
Let’s Go Bucs!
Might match up with the Rockies for Elehuris Montero and/or Michael Toglia. Rockies have too many guys for the corners. Rox needs are catcher and pitching. I think they match up well with Pitt.
Don’t remember what Erods problem was buy don’t want problems at his estimated price. Pirates haven’t given free agents no trades and good. But that limits some free agents.
Suwinski Bae Reynolds can handle cf. Joe Cutch will get time in RF.
None of those 4 2b have much trade value.
His wife didn’t want him to move to LA when the Dodgers made a trade offer this summer. There were rumours that previous infidelities had made her wary of ERod playing too far away from their Florida home and Detroit was as far as she was prepared to let him go!
ERod would be a great fit for Pirates.
Neither Reynolds nor Jack are very good in CF defensively. Bae could be, but his bat is suspect, and he makes boneheaded mistakes on the bases routinely.
As for 2B trade value, that’s why I said include SP prospect in to get the right player.
Well, CF was never Reynolds’ natural spot and he looked much more comfortable in left. Disagree with you somewhat about Suwinski and I’m by no means a big fan of his. Thought he was a real upgrade out there this year but as stated on this thread, his approach to hitting and plate discipline are a nightmare. And that’s beyond basic mechanics when he’s facing a lefty. Hope upon hope he’s putting in some work this off season
A lot of variables at play in middle infield. Peguero showed some real good signs but seemed to cool off. You mentioned Bae. Gonzales is still a mystery
But the biggest question is….how close to the majors is Termarr Johnson?
Sign Smith and Hoskins for first base and DH platoon. Maybe cutch if he wants to play sparingly
Partly right agree on Lugo(prefer Flaherty) Smith/haskins @ 1B. Could see signing one of the Japanese pitchers
I just want two reliable arms. That is all. I’d settle for Seth Lugo and Wade Miley.
Nice to see another esteemed gentleman of culture in here… those 2 are on my shortlist for the Pads, too.
(Hat tip)
I think Miley is underrated, and pitches better than he looks. Lugo with his solid 2023 season as a starting pitcher was really promising. Ofc, I’d like the Pirates to aim a little higher. I’d love Eduardo Rodriguez, but if Miley and Lugo were the additions to their rotation, I’d be 100% fine with that.
If you’re out of job just post your resume in the MLB website telling you’re a starting pitcher, you’ll start to get calls from every single team in the majors!
MLBTR should just post one article saying every team is looking to add starting pitchers. ♂️
A+
Pirates going all in and signing:
Yamamoto
Snell
Giolito
Hader for closer
Let’s gooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lmao
Might as well go for Ohtani while their at it. They were bandying about numbers like $520M for 10 years today. Chump change, no?
Pirates fans are so loyal and the franchise has such history but it is sad to know the Pirates will never ever ever be playing well into October again.
They will be there. Enough teams make playoffs and probably will increase. Once you are in who knows what will happen. Unless all of their best pitching prospects bust they should line up with anyone.
they still need to do more than develop the guys they’ve struggled to develop so far.
if you remember last time , they got insanely lucky with AJ and Liriano.
.. they’ll need similar lightning in a bottle from the rotation even if the kids can hit
Their player development personnel should really be under the microscope
I’d bet they’ve had some real turnover since Burnett, Liriano, Volquez, Melancon, Grilli, and others, but these were guys Searage turned around
I think they have a nice core here but I often wonder if I’m saying that because they haven’t had such a core in years. That is, these kids aren’t of the caliber you see in Atlanta, or with teams that have turned around “quickly” like Texas or Arizona.
To have had this many high draft picks and to have had so few of them really pan out is noteworthy, at the very least
I think they’ll at least get a ball player out of Henry and Endy .. and Cruz.. well that kid is very very special.
Skenes also seems to be a can’t miss prospect barring injury.
Depends on how they fill in the cracks, but some experienced faces in the rotation could go a long way.
speaking of long way, seems like how far theyre off from a playoff push
Player development should have changed when Huntington was fired and the entire organization should have started from scratch
This is both Cherington and Shelton’s season to prove their worth.
Both are in the last year of their respective contracts
@Goku
they’re one year behind on the play off push lol. 2023 could have been a year to be in a real conversation about a wild card. But prospects didn’t do much at all and they had no starting rotation to speak off. keller making a great first half and some really good starts the second half (and some real stinkers) Will likely hold the line and hope the pitching prospects come around.
2024 could still be a great season. Even with as bad as the prospects they record did improve quite a bit a couple decent signings and positive player development could push the team to real competition for their division and a wild card. But I doubt they make real impactful signings. Maybe a trade. team has some decent prospect depth they can afford to trade if they’re going for it now.
Here’s a nickel’s worth of free advice…Don’t sign Marcus Stroman
that would be their most notable signing in decades
Trevor Bauer makes sense here.
Bauer won’t sign for 10 bucks and a ham sandwich
they almost have to unleash Bauer Power to have any chance at playoffs
Bauer, Skenes and Keller could match up with anyone
How enamored are the Pirate fans with Suwinski ?
I think he is a great fit with the Yankees & they have some young talent to offer.
Opens up CF for a better defensive option.
I don’t think that would ever happen as the Pirates finally have a solid core in place, and Suwinski is surely a big part of the power in that group
He’s a pretty solid center fielder and has a lot of pop. Truth be told, many fans are hoping he’s hired a personal hitting coach this off season to get him more consistent and to cut down on strikeouts
And really, there are no stud outfielders on the cusp of arriving from the farm and no one to recoup his homers and rbi
At long last, I am hopeful the days of trading young players away are over
And I’m hopeful they can land a couple big arms, although I had to laugh when the article mentioned guys like Snell or Nola
They have the pieces here to contend. Just need some smart moves this winter
Bro he went 0 for July or August or something
If he is part of the core that is sad
He can’t hit lefties
If you can move him for a mlb ready arm I think you do it.
This market has plenty of CF options maybe not with his power but Bader, Keirmeier or Taylor can handle the job.
Trade options look to be available as well.
It’s funny you say this
A few of us pointed exactly what you said out at the time—and were treated to analytics from nerds who believe numbers mean more than the eye test
One regular here kept telling us he was an all star
You miss my point. I agree with you
But it’s clear that the Pirates and nerds everywhere feel differently
How do you tout what a good fit for the Yankees he is and then bash him in your next comment?
I’m thinking they’re probably shopping Gonzalez this offseason. Young with potential and is a former first round pick
Plus they have a glut of middle infielders who can’t all be on the opening day roster considering their need for pitching and a first baseman
Pirates will trade anyone. Most pirates fans don’t like Jack because he strikes out. He would be great for NY.
They’d set their process back 5 years in doing so, and I’m not even a fan of Suwinski other than to say he has a helluva lot of upside.
Jack also has the highest ops+ and offensive BBRef WAR on the team. Well Triolo but just 200 PAs there.
I constantly argue with people who think Suwinski isn’t good because of his strikeouts and low average. Yes you’d like to see them increase but you can’t teach that power and he still puts up above average numbers with the potential to improve and carry your team, as he shown a bit the last month or so.
When you watch these guys game in and game out, hole, Suwinski is a frustration piece to be sure
Yeah, as stated above, he has a lot of upside. But I’m wondering how you keep him in the lineup in the seasons to come if 2023 is in fact who he is and there is no progress
He really has a great many ugly at bats especially against left handers and there are times that I wonder how a guy with no plate discipline like this made it past legion ball
We can only hope someone will grab this kid and work with him to become a much better hitter
Once the Buccos management accept Suwinski needs a platoon mate, he’ll look like a much better player.
WRC+ last season according to FG: 68 vs LHP….. 127 vs RHP…. 112 over all.
My attempt at an edit failed and the above should read….
‘WRC+ last season according to FG: 68 vs LH….. 127 vs RH…. 112 over all..’.
Suwinski needs a lefty mashing platoon mate who can handle CF.
even with the high strike outs and low average his OBP is respectable. Not great but just a small bump in average and a small reduction in strike outs he would be worth considering for an all-star trip
they hate him, but he has some raw tools that could be interesting in a few years if handled properly
I’m personally enamored with Jack’s 171 ks though he did improve otherwise offensively
Corey Kluber is available I hear…
even the Pirates saying No
If they’re looking for a diamond in the rough, i’d take a flyer on him. i’d say 60/40 hes done but if that 40 becomes a back end starter a minors deal with a good roster bonus would definitely be worth it.
I’d be looking for a more “sure thing” though
I’d say more like 95/5 he’s done
They really needed to be the team to take the flyer on Bauer last year and take the chips that they got instead for rich hill. Now it’s gonna cost you. Even with the bad pr he’s worth the flip or the numbers at this point.
Yeah, I agree that Bauer would be a big acquisition here and that now, since he has shown he’s still a good pitcher and has been able to rebuild his rep via the revelations about his accuser, he’ll get top dollar somewhere that the Pirates refuse to pay
What a difference a year makes
Bauer is one of the kinds of pitchers that old school fans like me envision when we hear the word “starter”. A guy who is a shutdown type over 7 innings
But given the names in the article above, that’s old school thinking that went out years ago. Now it’s 5 inning types
The most amazing thing about the Pirates second half run was….they did it with 2 legitimate starters, an occasional start by an Ortiz or Priester…and two reliever games every 5 days
Guess I have to ask: in this era, do you really need 5 starters more than you need 11-12 solid pitchers on staff?
If mlb allowed the Pirates to sign him. Either way the other 29 didn’t either. Are the Pirates supposed to be the smartest team in baseball? Hill was fantastic. SD gave up 2 nice prospects for him and the other pitchers probably learned from him.
Hill was a nice surprise but you’re doing your usual embellishment in calling him “fantastic”. If anything, VV before injury was fantastic
Agree about MLB at this point a year ago
Bauer was too hot to handle given the accusations
He was a good solid and healthy back starter on a 1 year deal and brought back real prospects. Yes that is fantastic.
he was not fantastic but he was certainly worth the signing, made all his starts and was a mentor like you said.
To me it’s what the Bauer return would have been on a reduced salary over the what 9-10 we spent on hill. I loved the Hill sign but they were the dark horse team that could have gotten elite talent back when they sold off out of the division. I thought they were capable of finishing 2nd in the central with hill they didn’t. Would they have gotten more out of Bauer on the field and then in retention on the farm 100%. VV was money such a shame he went down when he did.
Bauer.
My realistic/dream offseason is signing Seth Lugo 2/24, Frankie Montas/Sean Manea 1/12, Brandon Belt 1/10, and a relief pitcher for around 3M. Even though Lugo was a reliever most of his career, he looks as safe of a choice as far as most starters go. Grab a bounceback guy and a lefty 1B. Wouldn’t hate a Kevin Kiermaier signing either but I’d actually expect some of the top teams to want him and be priced out.
This falls in line with what I wrote in the 50 free agent predictions article.
The young core of hitting is here. It only makes sense for the Pirates to invest in another Starting Pitcher.
I suggested maybe an opener like Jordan Hicks and also an undervlaued arm like Tyler Mahle, Sean Manea or Nick Martinez.
This could complement well with Keller and Oviedo. Plus if Contreas and/or Priester can figure out, this rotation could have enough potency to make this team a Wildcard contender
Interesting interview Cherington did from the GM meetings on MLB Network. Lots of points worth discussion, from wanting to get Davis a lot more reps behind the plate (his bat was ahead of his glove according to BC and now he needs to be worked in) to aggressiveness in free agency, to Cruz being ready and Cutch getting work in the OF
Surprised no one has made note of his comments
Call Bauer. Yeah the baggage is heavy with him but there is no doubt he is a Cy Young award type pitcher that shouldn’t cost Cy Young award type pitcher prices. I would say that would be at least 10 wins over what our starters gave us in 2023. Personally I would have no problem with the pirates getting him on a 5 year 125m contract, but I’d also toss in a team opt out if that baggage gets even heavier. Also throw in a player opt out if the team is bad.
I’d also work on bringing Santana back, he wasn’t a monster at the plate but gave good defense I’d also look into bringing in Will Myers. He isn’t good at defense at first but on a “show me” contract for OF/1b option would be worth it.
Also letting Martin and Nunez play with the big boys in spring a lot just to see what happens.
Cutch back at DH an a stand in OF would be great as well.
I must have been one of the few watching September baseball with the Pirates. You forgot one big thing: give Triolo a long look at 1st or hell, even 2nd. The kid is a gifted fielder and he sure turned his hitting around over the last month by a simple posture adjustment.
Kinda crazy that his name is rarely mentioned here.
yeah Triolo should get a look where ever there is room and 1b is the biggest hole. he doesn’t have much time there.