3 Pirates players proving they shouldn't be on the roster come June 1

The Pittsburgh Pirates are much improved compared to last season, but if they truly have eyes on competing, they'll need to do more. The NL Central is stacked to the gills with teams with plans of contention, and the competition might be the fiercest in baseball.

The big reinforcements will come in late July when the trade deadline rolls around, but in the meantime, there are some internal options and other smaller moves Pittsburgh can investigate to shore up the roster. That will mean cutting loose some of the soft spots, with certain players' grips on roster spots feeling very tenuous.

Marcell Ozuna needs to go so the Pirates' young outfielders can thrive

Marcell Ozuna has already subtracted 0.7 fWAR from the Pirates over 40 games in large part because, as the designated hitter, he needs to actually hit to provide value. That hasn't happened, and it's starting to become clear that it will never happen.

Pittsburgh coming to that realization and cutting ties with Ozuna despite his hefty salary will be key, and the current circumstances might just make that happen. Jake Mangum is back, providing a big defensive upgrade for the outfield. Jhostynxon Garcia also got called up, which turned the heat up on Ozuna.

In fact, the Password's arrival has led to two straight benchings for Ozuna against right-handed pitching, potentially foreshadowing the end of the road for the once fearsome slugger. Ryan O'Hearn's return from the IL could be the final nail in the coffin, though there's a chance Ozuna doesn't survive that long, either. Esmerlyn Valdez was recently called up and the versatile Ronny Simon could join him.

Not only do youngsters like Garcia and Valdez provide more upside, but they can also play the field, allowing for better defensive assignments. The ability to cycle Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz, and O'Hearn through DH, while superior defenders like Garcia and Mangum roam the grass, makes Pittsburgh better on multiple fronts. If the club is bold, June 1 will begin their Ozuna-less existence.

Justin Lawrence should be the next casualty of the Pirates' bullpen overhaul

Ben Cherington's bullpen has been a sore spot, and finally, a change has been made with Isaac Mattson being sent down in favor of Wilber Dotel. Now, Justin Lawrence should be next.

The Pirates sacrificed Mattson because he still has options, but Lawrence has been the bigger liability. Since he would have to be DFA'd, they gave him a stay of execution, but it should be brief.

Mattson could return, or they could find an external solution. The Minnesota Twins just cut loose veteran Matt Bowman, and he's just one example of how the waivers shuffle could potentially provide Pittsburgh with an upgrade.

It's time for the Pirates to move on from Henry Davis

We've reached the point where Henry Davis's defensive value can no longer offset his offensive ineptitude. Joey Bart's status with a foot infection complicates things, but the fact is that it is tough to justify continuing to run Davis out there.

Rafael Flores Jr. hasn't lit the world on fire in Indianapolis this year, but he did put together a solid showing in his first taste of Triple-A action following the deadline deal that brought him to Pittsburgh, hitting .281/.363/.459 with six homers over 36 games in Indy.

Putting Flores alongside Endy Chavez could give the Pirates a jolt, and at minimum could tell them if either is a viable option to work with, or supplant, Bart when he returns from the IL.

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