3 Pirates players it's already fair to worry about

The Pirates' season has gotten off to just about as bad a start as anyone could have expected. The Bucs have dropped seven of their first nine contests, and have exhibited many of the same problems as last season—poor fundamentals, a lack of clutch hitting, and a really shaky bullpen.

Fans voiced their displeasure during the Pirates' home opener, where boos rang out during introductions and "Sell the team!" chants broke out on numerous occasions throughout a game that the Pirates ultimately lost 9-4. It takes more than a handful of struggling players to result in a start this bad, but these three players in particular should have fans worried:

3 Pirates players who should already have fans worried to start 2025 season

Colin Holderman

After last season, the Pirates' decision to enter 2025 with David Bednar and Holderman anchoring the back of the bullpen was a questionable one. With Bednar being sent to Triple-A after just three appearances (two of which he lost), it was imperative that Holderman step up and re-establish himself as a viable option in high leverage situations.

Holderman was very, very good for the majority of the 2024 season, but he is most remembered for his late-summer rough patch. In a stretch of five appearances, Holderman nearly blew a four-run extra-inning lead, then proceeded to record the loss in four straight outings. He added nearly two full runs to his ERA in just 4.1 innings. Outside of those five games, his 2024 ERA was a sparkling 1.72.

His 2025 performance thus far has been reminiscent of his 2024 meltdown. In five appearances, he has allowed five runs and been scored upon in all but one outing (in which he had a runner thrown out at home plate). He relinquished a lead in both games in Miami that Bednar lost, and surrendered a bases-clearing double to Anthony Volpe on Saturday to cap off a six-run inning that took all the wind out of the Pirates' sails.

Some of Holderman's struggles are self-inflicted—he's throwing pitches in the strike zone at just a 47.7% clip, and all six of the hits he has allowed this season have come with two strikes. As Derek Shelton has pointed out in some of his postgame pressers, Holderman simply has to execute better. The Pirates desperately need the version of Holderman that can be relied upon late in games.

Tommy Pham

Many Pirates fans were justifiably upset when the club's search for an outfielder, which lasted into spring training, concluded with the addition of Pham, who is 37 years old and well past his prime.

Despite a rough spring, Pham was penciled into the Opening Day lineup in left field and, more puzzlingly, in the leadoff spot. Bednar's demotion didn't signal the only experiment on which the Bucs quickly pulled the plug—Pham recorded just one hit and one walk in three starts batting leadoff. By the time the Pirates made it to Pittsburgh, he was batting sixth.

As if his .674 OPS last season wasn't enough of an indicator, Pham appears to be slowing down. In the early going, the 12-year veteran is striking out at a rate 3% higher than his career average. Unfortunately, his quality of contact also seems to be taking a major hit—after recording an average exit velocity of at least 90 MPH in each season since 2018, that figure is at 87.04 MPH so far in 2025.

If Father Time indeed has Pham in his grasp, the Pirates badly need someone else (like Jack Suwinski or the newly acquired Alexander Canario) to provide some pop from left field. They were never likely to get that production from Pham anyway, but it's fair to speculate about how playable he is at this rate.

Jared Triolo

Given Ke'Bryan Hayes' injury history, Spencer Horwitz's offseason wrist surgery, and Nick Gonzales' opening day ankle fracture, Triolo has suddenly become a pretty crucial piece for the 2025 Pirates. The 2024 Gold Glove winner's versatility has already come into play, as he's already started games at each of the base positions.

Triolo made a great first impression as a rookie in 2023, batting .298 with a .388 on-base percentage in 209 plate appearances. There were reasons for skepticism, however, as he posted the highest batting average on balls in play in MLB history during that stretch. That level of production probably wasn't sustainable.

And right on cue, his bat came crashing back to earth. He received 446 plate appearances in 2024, slashing just .216/.296/.315. His 2025 output has been much of the same, as he's recorded just one single and one walk while consistently posting non-competitive at bats. Though it's only been six games, his wRC+ currently sits at a laughable minus-52, and he's been a rally-killer. He boasts the team's worst win probability added (minus-0.37) despite being tied for 10th on the team in plate appearances.

Triolo absolutely can be a useful player—winning the utility Gold Glove is no small feat, especially for a player who didn't really start playing multiple positions until he reached the upper-minors. But fans should be worried that his 2024 campaign was a more accurate representation of his talents as a hitter than 2023 was. The Pirates, who are struggling enough to score runs as it is, aren't put in a great position by having to give Triolo consistent at bats.