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The Pittsburgh Pirates have had an awfully quiet offseason so far, which, unfortunately, isn't much of a surprise.
They addressed their biggest need at first base (sort of) by trading for Spencer Horwitz, an unproven player expected to play at the position on a part-time basis. They added depth pieces to their bullpen (right-hander Peter Strzelecki) and their infield (Enmanuel Valdez), but neither feels like a move of significance. The Pirates still have a gaping hole in right field, and they could certainly use another reliever or two.
In a division that is arguably wide open, Pittsburgh general manager Ben Cherington has an opportunity to gain an edge through trades and free agency this offseason. And yet, while the Pirates clearly still have some work to do in order to upgrade their roster before spring training, their National League Central division rivals have been busy making moves (well, some of them).
How rest of NL Central has out-paced Pirates and Ben Cherington this offseason
Chicago Cubs
The busiest team in the NL Central has been the Chicago Cubs. They have made arguably the highest-profile trade in the division this offseason, acquiring slugging outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros and adding a major boost to their lineup. They also bolstered their bullpen by trading for Guardians right-hander Eli Morgan and added to their starting rotation by signing left-hander Matt Boyd to a two-year, $29 million deal.
The Cubs also signed free agent catcher Carson Kelly, who is expected to split time with Miguel Amaya behind the plate. It also shouldn't be overlooked that they offloaded arguably the worst contract in the division by trading Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees.
Cincinnati Reds
After hiring a new manager in Terry Francona, the Cincinnati Reds started the offseason by brining back a pair of arms. They re-signed left-handed reliever Brent Suter to a one-year, $2.5 million contract and issued a $21.05 million qualifying offer to right-handed starter Nick Martinez (which he accepted).
The Reds were also part of one of the first notable trades of the offseason, bolstering their rotation by acquiring right-handed pitcher Brady Singer from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for infielder Jonathan India and outfielder Joey Wiemer.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers, last season's NL Central champions and the only team in the division to make the playoffs, have made just one move of note this offseason. While they lost closer Devin Williams in a trade with the Yankees, they netted left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr. and infielder Caleb Durbin in the return.
Cortes will help to shore up the Brewers' starting rotation, while Durbin will add to their infield depth. Milwaukee's only MLB free agent signing so far is left-handed reliever Grant Wolfram, a former 18th-round pick who has yet to make his MLB debut.
St. Louis Cardinals
The only NL Central team quieter than the Pirates this offseason has been the St. Louis Cardinals, who haven't made a single trade or free agent signing. They had a deal in place to send third baseman Nolan Arenado to the Houston Astros, but he used his no-trade clause to veto the move.
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