3 Pirates in danger of losing playing time when rosters expand in September

Sitting more than 25 games out of the NL Central lead in mid-August, it's safe to say that the 2025 MLB season hasn't gone exactly as the Pittsburgh Pirates planned.

The team's playoff drought will stretch to one decade once they are officially eliminated from contention this year, and the team's confounding performance at the trade deadline only makes this campaign feel like more of a lost season than it already was.

Nevertheless, the final month of the season must still be played, and September offers a unique opportunity for certain players to get a chance to audition for a roster spot in future seasons. All MLB rosters will expand by two to a total of 28 players, with teams now able to roster up to 14 pitchers (up from 13).

As such, the Pirates will have a chance to grant a few young players a cup of coffee ahead of a crucial offseason. In turn, though, a few veterans will have to cede playing time to make room for the next wave of talent. Which players on Pittsburgh's roster stand to get hit the hardest once rosters expand?

3 Pirates veterans who will lose their roles when MLB rosters expand in September

LHP Andrew Heaney

Heaney has already lost his role in the starting rotation, though, unfortunately, it may be due to the Pirates' penny-pinching habits.

Regardless, Heaney, a 34-year-old starting pitcher on a one-year contract, was one of many rental players the Pirates decided not to trade at the deadline. Instead, they retained him (likely to ward off any potential grievances from the MLBPA), and have now demoted him to long relief duty in the bullpen.

In fairness to the front office, Heaney has been a mess since a sterling start to the season. After posting a 2.50 ERA in March/April (36 innings) and a 4.74 ERA in May (24 2/3 innings), Heaney has a 6.71 ERA since the start of June.

Whether the team decides emphasize top prospect Bubba Chandler or give 2022 first-round pick Thomas Harrington another chance at the big league level, it's clear that the team can make better use of Heaney's (former) spot in the rotation.

INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa

Another one of those fabled "rental veterans" that the Pirates elected not to trade prior to July 31, Kiner-Falefa has taken over the starting third base job since Ke'Bryan Hayes was unceremoniously dumped on the Reds.

IKF has been varying levels of "meh" this season, slashing .267/.306/.333 (78 wRC+) while registering zero Outs Above Average in the field (three OAA at third base, -3 OAA at shortstop). Things haven't really changed since he moved into a full-time starting role, as his .668 OPS and 84 wRC+ are generally in line with his full body of work.

He's due to serve as a solid bench bat down the stretch, but the Pirates have a host of third-base-capable prospects already on the 40-man roster— Nick Yorke, Cam Devanney, Tsung-Che Cheng —that would benefit from getting a few reps against MLB pitchers. Expect one of them to steal at least a few starts from Kiner-Falefa in September.

DH Andrew McCutchen

You could just as easily put Tommy Pham in this spot, but the point here is that that the Pirates' two oldest players have no business playing regularly in the final month of a lost season.

McCutchen is a ticket seller, and is beloved by Pirates fans for very, very good reason. He deserves to get a few at-bats here and there, especially as he chases a few personal milestones.

With players like Alexander Canario, Ji Hwan Bae, and Billy Cook all needing a chance to prove themselves, though, it's organizational malpractice to have one of Pham or McCutchen (or both) in the lineup on an everyday basis from here on out. Let the young guys play, and hopefully one of them will prove to be a long-term keeper in their cup of coffee.