The Pittsburgh Pirates are expected to see quite a bit of roster movement over the next week as one of the league's projected sellers at the July 31 trade deadline. With multiple Major League roster players in Pittsburgh likely being shown the door at some point during the next week, 40-man roster spots will begin to open up for young players currently playing at Triple-A Indianapolis.
With the Pirates open for business ahead of this year's deadline, here are two of their Triple-A players who deserve a promotion to the MLB roster, as well as two Major Leaguers who should be sent back down.
2 Pirates who deserve promotion to MLB roster after trade deadline
Bubba Chandler
This one's pretty obvious, right? The Pirates' No. 1 prospect, right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler, has been knocking on the door of an MLB promotion since last year, and many thought it would have happened by now.
Sure, there were some concerns surrounding a June slump that saw his ERA balloon up to 8.53, but Chandler rebounded nicely heading into the All-Star break. If the Pirates do what they are expected to do and deal from their pitching depth at the trade deadline – whether it's Mitch Keller, Andrew Heaney, David Bednar, Dennis Santana or all of the above – Chandler should be all but guaranteed a spot on the active roster by next month.
Ji Hwan Bae
Plenty of Pirates fans won't agree with this one because of his less-than-stellar track record at the Major League level, but Ji Hwan Bae deserves another shot.
Yes, he seemingly forgets how to hit whenever he gets called up, but Bae is one of the most consistent minor league hitters in the Pirates' farm system, and his defensive versatility makes him a valuable asset. Unfortunately, it also frequently results in him being deployed inconsistently off the bench. If given regular playing time in Pittsburgh, Bae has the opportunity to flourish both now and in the future.
And while we're on the subject, didn't Ben Cherington say that the team's focus has shifted to 2026? If that's the case, why is Tommy Pham still getting regular starts in right field while Bae remains in Triple-A?
2 Pirates who should be sent down to Triple-A
Jack Suwinski
Jack Suwinski is one of the Pirates' only Major League-ready outfielders with real power upside. Unfortunately, he doesn't display that upside with any sort of consistency.
Suwinski simply hasn't been able to stick at the Major League level because he hasn't come close to replicating the power and production he displayed during his 26-homer season in 2023. In 25 games with the Pirates this season, he is hitting just .102/.221/.169 with one home run and a pair of RBI.
Isaac Mattson
Right-handed reliever Isaac Mattson's overall numbers this season aren't cause for concern, but some of his most recent outings have been somewhat unnerving.
In 5 2/3 innings over his last seven appearances, Mattson has surrendered three walks and three earned runs on seven hits. His ERA for the month of July is a season-high 4.00, including 4.76 in his last seven games. With key members of the Pirates bullpen like David Bednar, Caleb Ferguson and/or Dennis Santana likely on their way out at the upcoming trade deadline, Mattson has done little to prove that he's capable of playing in an elevated leverage role if pressed into action.
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