3 outside-the-box external closer candidates the Pirates need to consider

While much of the dialogue surrounding the Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason has involved adding offense, the bullpen remains a significant area of need. The team made good progress on this front by signing veteran left-hander Gregory Soto at the Winter Meetings. But they can't stop there.

The Pirates need a closer, plain and simple. That's been the case since they shipped two-time All-Star David Bednar to the Bronx at last year's trade deadline. Dennis Santana, who had been serving as the setup man, assumed ninth-inning responsibilities and posted strong numbers overall, including a 2.18 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 16 saves.

But some of the underlying metrics are scary. He doesn't miss a ton of bats (22.2% strikeout rate) and finished with a 16th-percentile barrel rate and a 32nd-percentile groundball rate. He was extremely lucky throughout the entire season, with a batting average on balls in play 80 points below the league average (.211 vs. .291) and a HR/FB rate less than half the league average (5.8% vs. 11.9%).

Santana is a fine setup option and not a problem at his projected $3.4 million salary. But it would be a disservice to go into the season intending to compete, only to just hand him the closer job. If the Pirates have the financial flexibility that the team claims to have, adding a more established closing option should be doable while the organization still figures out ways to add to the offense.

The Pirates should pursue these three relievers to be the team's closer in 2026.

Seranthony Dominguez

The free agent relief market is drying up at a rapid pace. While the Pirates were never expected to pursue the likes of Edwin Diaz, Robert Suarez, or Devin Williams, the Bucs have now missed the boat on next-tier arms like Brad Keller, Raisel Iglesias, Ryan Helsley, Kyle Finnegan, Luke Weaver, Tyler Rogers, Emilio Pagan, and Kenley Jansen.

One viable option still on the board, and one in whom the Pirates reportedly have expressed interest, is Seranthony Dominguez. He parlayed a strong first half with Baltimore into a trade to Toronto, where he helped shore up a shaky bullpen en route to a run to the World Series. Between both spots, he posted career highs with 62 2/3 innings and 79 strikeouts, along with a 3.16 ERA that was his lowest since 2022.

Control has never been one of Dominguez's strengths, but that issue was magnified in 2025—his walk rate (13.8%) was his worst ever, and in the first percentile across the league. He did this by living in the strike zone less than ever before (44.6%), but he found a way to succeed regardless. By staying out of the middle of the plate, he maintained an excellent whiff rate (33.3%) and saw his barrel rate (6.9%) jump from the second percentile to the 74th.

Dominguez's resume includes experience as a closer (40 career saves) and an excellent postseason track record (1.86 ERA in 29 playoff games, including eight World Series contests). He was projected by MLB Trade Rumors to receive a modest two-year, $18 million contract in free agency. That would be a wise investment for a Pirates team that needs to strengthen the back end of the 'pen.

Jeremiah Estrada

As is the case with the offense, the Pirates may have to turn to the trade market to make meaningful additions to the major league roster. If they are forced to go that route, San Diego's Jeremiah Estrada is an extremely enticing option.

Estrada is one component of an elite Padres bullpen that, despite Robert Suarez leaving for Atlanta, still features the likes of Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, David Morgan, and Jason Adam. The Padres need starting pitching (stop me if you've heard this before, but the Pirates have that), and while San Diego reportedly doesn't want to deal from their bullpen to add to the rotation, they ultimately might not have a choice.

Only eight pitchers have appeared in more games than Estrada (139) since he joined the Padres in 2024. In that time, he has a 3.22 ERA, a .199 batting average allowed, and a 36.3% strikeout rate, which ranks seventh among relievers in that span. Last season, he posted a 3.45 ERA (with a 2.80 expected ERA) and led all relief pitchers with 108 strikeouts.

What sets Estrada apart is his unique delivery. He had the highest release point in MLB last year, at 66 degrees. That, combined with 83rd-percentile extension, makes his fastball (which already averages 98 MPH) virtually unhittable at the top of the zone. It also elevates the effectiveness of his splitter, a pitch he learned from former Cy Young-winning closer Eric Gagne, which was a devastating weapon against both righties and lefties (.108 expected average, .132 expected slugging percentage, 47.5% whiff rate).

While Estrada doesn't have a ton of experience closing games (four career saves), he would instantly become the Pirates' most dynamic relief weapon. He set an MLB record by striking out 13 consecutive batters in 2024, and he won't hit free agency until 2030. He would be a long-term late-inning solution for the Pirates, and one who could potentially become one of the most valuable relievers in the sport.

Bryan Abreu

Another potential trade option, who would come at a lower trade cost due to having only one year of team control left, is Houston's Bryan Abreu. While it would be a shorter-term, higher financial commitment, the upside is similar to that of Estrada.

Abreu is one of the eight pitchers with more appearances since Estrada since 2024. Over the past three seasons, pitching exclusively out of the bullpen, he has recorded at least 70 appearances and 100 strikeouts in each season. He's pitched to a pristine 2.40 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in that span while operating as the primary setup man for Ryan Pressly and Josh Hader.

A two-pitch pitcher, Abreu threw his four-seam fastball and his slider almost equally in 2025, regardless of batter handedness. Hitters were helpless either way—batters hit sub-.200, slugged sub-.300, and whiffed at least 36% of the time against each offering.

Having been in Houston since 2019, and a staple in their bullpen since 2021, Abreu, like Dominguez, has plenty of postseason experience. He's pitched in 21 playoff games, allowing just six earned runs (2.49 ERA) with a whopping 35 strikeouts. He threw five scoreless innings across four appearances in the Astros' World Series win over the Phillies in 2022.

Abreu is entering his final season of arbitration eligibility and is projected to earn $5.9 million in 2026, a perfectly fine price to pay for a pitcher of his caliber. His tenure in Houston overlapped with that of new Pirates pitching coach Bill Murphy, so that familiarity would likely ease the transition for both Abreu and Murphy. Regardless of which avenue the Pirates choose to take, the team can't be done adding to the bullpen.