3 pitching-desperate teams the Pirates could make last-minute trades with

New York Mets

The other MLB team in New York is also facing their fair share of injuries to their pitching staff. Some of their biggest offseason acquisitions are going to miss some time to open the 2025 season, an all-important "first impression" year for Juan Soto. The Mets could definitely use another arm on their roster, making the Pirates a potential last-minute trade partner.

Veteran right-hander Frankie Montas was projected to miss up to eight weeks with a high-grade lat strain suffered in late February. He signed a two-year contract with the Mets this offseason. Sean Manaea had a huge comeback campaign with the Mets in 2024 and re-signed on a three-year contract. He is now on the IL with an oblique issue and is expected to open the year on the shelf. Left-handed reliever AJ Minter, whom the Mets inked this offseason on a two-year contract, has yet to throw a pitch in live game action during spring training, still recovering from hip surgery at the end of last season. 

As of right now, with the absence of both Manaea and Montas, right-hander Griffin Canning is penciled in as their fifth starter. Canning had both an ERA and FIP over 5.00 last season. They could turn to right-hander Brandon Sproat, their top pitching prospect who reached Triple-A last season, but they’d still be short of replacing their injured players. Former Pirate Clay Holmes, in the process of stretching himself into a starter, has been phenomenal thus far, but he's now being relied upon rather than looking like a luxury item. Reinforcements could definitely help.

The Mets also have a handful of outfielders to deal from. Eight are on their 40-man roster, along with three more among their top 10 prospects, per Baseball America. Two of those outfielders, Jose Azocar and Alexander Canario, have no options left. The Pirates could potentially acquire some outfield depth from the Mets in exchange for pitching depth.