3 players the Pirates need to move on from this offseason

The 2024 season included a lot of highs and lows from the Pittsburgh Pirates. One of the biggest issues that contributed to the lows of the season came from poor performances from various supposed impact players.

Some of those underperformers have already gone by the wayside; the Pirates have moved on. Regrettably, there are some controllable pieces who remain on the roster and must not be on the team in 2025.

Pittsburgh should move on from these three players this offseason as they look to build a squad with a higher ceiling that might get them back to the postseason.

Which players should the Pirates move on from this offseason?

Connor Joe, First Baseman

The Pirates entered 2024 with a platoon option installed at first, alternating between Rowdy Tellez and Connor Joe. The only problem with that plan was that when one was hot, the other was not, which hurt the team's overall offense. A lot of that issue stemmed from Joe's inconsistency throughout the season.

In March through May, Joe posted a .276 batting average with an OPS of .794 and a wRC+ of 118. He also had 13 doubles, six home runs, and drove in 23 runs. After that, he hit just .180 with an OPS of .584 and a 68 wRC+. That difference is just not good enough, especially for an average defensive first baseman.

Although he led the team in the first month of the season, he slowly declined in the following months. The Pirates cannot continue to expect that his hot starts can last a full season and, given his baked-in inconsistency, Pittsburgh should move on.

Jared Triolo, Third Baseman

The young infielder made a very strong first impression in 2023, but failed to perform up to expectations as the team's Opening Day second baseman.

After posting a .298 batting average and a 118 wRC+ in his first taste of the majors, Triolo went on to hit .216 with nine home runs and 46 runs batted in in 2024. His OPS sat at just .611, and his wRC+ was far below league average at 72.

He was always known for his elite glove, which remained elite in 2024, but his below average bat is simply the opposite of what the Pirates need. Having guys who can play multiple positions like Nick Yorke and Billy Cook -- who can also hit off the bench -- is much more valuable than a poor hitter with a good glove.

Ji Hwan Bae, Outfield

One of the biggest disappointments in the last two years has been Ji Hwan Bae. He has looked like an outstanding hitter under Eric Munson in Triple-A, but once he gets to the big league level, he falls apart. This has been consistent from Bae the past two years.

Last season in Triple-A, Bae had a batting average of .341 with seven home runs and an OPS of .937. His wRC+ sat at 147, and his walk percentage was at 14%. At the MLB level last year, Bae batted just .189 with an OPS of .463 and a wRC+ of 30. That represented a smaller sample size in the majors in 2024, but the stats were very similar in 111 games during the 2023 season. In that season, he had a wRC+ of 65 and an OPS of .608.

Bae has been very unproductive at the big league level, and the Pirates should look to move on. His speed ranks him among the fastest in the league, but he is incapable of finding ways on base at the major league level. The Pirates should look to move on from the young outfielder.

Overall, each of these players has made an impact in some way at the big league level, but they have not been consistent enough to make a bigger impact down the road. The Pirates need players that can help them win now, and these three do not contribute towards that effort with any regularity.