Grading the Pirates' offseason moves a quarter of the way through the season

The Pittsburgh Pirates have failed to put together a team capable of competing this season and their record shows it all. They're sitting 17 games below .500 and likely looking at another year at the bottom of the NL Central.

Outside of the starting rotation, this just isn't a good team. Every other area of the roster has been below average and most of the players struggling are new to the team. We have a considerable sample size to judge at this point, too.

Grades for Pirates offseason additions through first quarter of 2025 season

Spencer Horwitz : C

Spencer Horwitz was supposed to be the big bat addition to this lineup, but the Pirates have barely been able to see what he can bring since he missed the first quarter on the injured list. He's back now, so the jury is still out.

Adam Frazier : D-

To this day, signing Adam Frazier still did not really make sense for this team that needed a boost on offense. He has brought solid defense at second base, but his bat has generated a 63 wRC+ and his fWAR sits at -0.2. He was supposed to back up Nick Gonzales, who hit the injured list, but still he is blocking off Nick Yorke from deserved playing time.

Tommy Pham : F

Tommy Pham has been one of the worst players in MLB to open up 2025, and that has hurt the Pirates badly. They needed a corner outfielder this season to lead them, but instead of going for one of the better bats on the market, they settled for Pham, who has posted a 35 wRC+ and .481 OPS.

Andrew Heaney : B+

During the offseason, adding a starting pitcher did not exactly seem necessary and they still brought in Andrew Heaney. He actually has been a solid piece to the rotation as the fourth starter, bringing a 3.02 and 1.14 WHIP through 50 2/3 innings.

Ryan Borucki : B

Even on a minor league contract, Ryan Bourcki made the Opening Day roster and has been a solid reliever. He has been excellent against lefties, but not exactly consistent in high-leverage situations. Nonetheless, his 3.57 ERA and 2.76 FIP have made him a valuable arm in this bullpen.

Caleb Ferguson : B-

Caleb Ferguson is another southpaw brought in to this bullpen and was used in a high-leverage role immediately. He has actually been very unlucky as his ERA sits 4.50 and his xERA is down to a 2.48. He also leads baseball in average exit velocity (82.4 mph). Ferguson has been a slightly above-average arm in the bullpen thus far.

Chase Shugart : B+

Chase Shugart has actually looked like a diamond in the rough acquisition so far, but he has ultimately thrown in low-leverage situations. His numbers were elevated in a blowup game, and aside from that he has been great with a 2.75 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP. If he keeps this up, he may look like the best addition from the offseason.

Enmanuel Valdez : C

Enmanuel Valdez got his shot after Nick Gonzales went down with an injury. He held his own for a while, but that week before he got hurt, he struggled badly, as evidenced by his 81 wRC+ and .657 OPS.

Tim Mayza : C

Tim Mayza was off to a decent start as a low-leverage arm in the Pirates bullpen, but also got hurt after seven games. He put together a solid 2.89 ERA and 3.42 FIP, but he won't be back for a while, so we can't say this will be impactful.

Justin Lawrence : C

Justin Lawrence was also emerging as a solid high-leverage arm, but also got hurt and will be out for a long time. His ERA was sitting at just 0.79 alongside an impressive 11.91 K/9. He was a closer option with the high-leverage guys struggling early, but an elbow injury halted that.