3 Pirates who survived the 2026 trade deadline but will be gone in offseason

The Pittsburgh Pirates made the decision not to tear apart their roster at the trade deadline. That made sense at the time, as they were still close enough to the playoff picture that selling off useful pieces would have amounted to surrendering on a season in which the organization had repeatedly insisted October baseball was the expectation.

However, not everyone who survived Aug. 3 is going to survive the winter. In fact, three players in particular already look like they could be spending their final weeks in Pittsburgh.

3 Pirates who survived the 2026 trade deadline but will be gone in offseason

Gregory Soto

Gregory Soto might have been one of the easiest Pirates to move at the deadline had Pittsburgh decided to sell. Instead, they kept him and supplemented the bullpen with Camilo Doval, Luke Weaver, Lake Bachar and Kirby Yates.

Now, though, there's little reason to expect Soto back in 2027. The Pirates signed him to a one-year, $7.75 million contract last offseason, meaning he'll become a free agent after the season. He's been useful — he has a 3.81 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 14 saves — but hardly irreplaceable.

Pittsburgh's deadline work also changed the complexion of the bullpen. Paying another significant salary to retain a veteran reliever probably isn't the best use of resources when the Pirates desperately need to continue investing in their offense. Soto helped them in 2026, but that's probably where the relationship ends.

Brandon Lowe

This is the painful one. Brandon Lowe has been almost exactly what the Pirates hoped they were acquiring from the Tampa Bay Rays, providing legitimate left-handed power to a lineup that desperately needed it.

Lowe has been one of Pittsburgh's most important offensive players this season, but he was always something of a one-year gamble. When the Pirates acquired him in December, he had one season remaining on his contract at $11.5 million before reaching free agency. His performance has only made retaining him more expensive.

Ideally, Pittsburgh would find a way to keep Lowe. Realistically, a 25-plus-home run infielder entering free agency is exactly the type of player the Pirates have historically struggled to retain once the open market gets involved.

If Lowe leaves, Pittsburgh will once again face the difficult task of replacing one of the few established power bats in its lineup.

Carmen Mlodzinski

Carmen Mlodzinski is the fascinating one because Pittsburgh doesn't have to move him. He's scheduled to reach arbitration for the first time in 2027 and remains under team control beyond next season. That also means he'll have actual trade value, — and at this point, a trade might be best for everyone.

The Pirates have spent two seasons bouncing Mlodzinski between starting and relieving. When Jared Jones returned earlier this year, Mlodzinski was removed from the rotation, expressed his disappointment and briefly landed on the restricted list because he wasn't yet physically or mentally ready to pitch in his new role.

Then Mitch Keller got hurt, Mlodzinski got his rotation spot back — and immediately struggled. He allowed five earned runs in three innings against the Mets before lasting just 2 1/3 innings against Miami in his next start.

Mlodzinski has talent. His 3.79 ERA this season proves that. But Pittsburgh doesn't seem convinced he's a starter, while Mlodzinski has made it obvious that starting is where he ultimately wants to be. That tension isn't going away.

Soto and Lowe can simply walk into free agency, but Mlodzinski would require the Pirates to make an active decision. After everything that's happened this season, don't be surprised if they finally decide a change of scenery makes sense for both sides.

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