MLB personality has wild idea for Pirates to break multi-year deal dry spell this winter

During the totality of the Ben Cherington regime in Pittsburgh, the Pirates still haven't signed a free agent to a multi-year deal. It's not entirely fair to blame that on him either, has he has reportedly offered players those contracts, with Shota Imanaga being the most notable potential recipient. Of course, the budget's always capped, and the team has to be appealing enough for a veteran to want to slgn on long-term before it can happen. Notably, Chris Rose of Jomboy Media just predicting that this year's Pirates will snap that dry spell in a unique way, by signing a veteran catcher across the state.

Rose cheekily predicted on a recent podcast that the Pirates should add JT Realmuto on a two-year deal as the first multi-year contract since Ivan Nova in 2016. Rose backed up his prediction by emphasizing the strong pitching staff and asking who else Pittsburgh would rather have "shape them up than Realmuto".

Another potential bonus with Realmuto is his bat, but his offense was down a bit in 2026. Nonetheless, his wRC+ of 95 would have been fourth on this Pirates team, and his fWAR of 2.1 would've ranked highest among position players. He also added a .700 OPS with 12 home runs and 52 RBI. His bat was average last season and his glove was still strong, so he wouldn't be the worst signing in the world at around $10-$12 million a year.

Chris Rose of Jomboy Media predicts Pirates to sign JT Realmuto to first multi-year deal in the Ben Cherington era.

As it sits right now, the Pirates have four catchers on the 40-man roster. Henry Davis is already Paul Skenes' personal catcher, and with a Cy Young award added to his shelf, it's tough to envision anyone else catching him. Pittsburgh is also above .500 when Davis catches. Then there is Joey Bart, one of two Pirates to post a wRC+ over 100 in 2025. Endy Rodriguez is coming off another elbow surgery and Rafael Flores will likely be in Triple-A.

That group is deep already. Rocking with Realmuto and Davis would be interesting, with Rodriguez pushed to more of a first base role (or a spot in Triple-A as well). It would be a defensive-heavy backstop rotation, but that really isn't a problem.

Also, considering the non-tender deadline that's fast approaching approaching, a trade sending Joey Bart away would also make a lot of sense. The Pirates have a handful of prospects to protect, and with Bart struggling defensively and against right-handed pitching, a spot could open up there. Either by non-tendering or trading him, a big decision regarding Bart will be made soon.

Maximizing the value of the Pirates' pitching staff with an All-Star catcher, combined with the hire of pitching coach Bill Murphy, could really put this group over the edge and finish their transformation into one of the best staffs in all of baseball. To win, though, the Pirates need to complement that staff with offense. Realmuto would definitely help, but the price is slightly concerning, given his offensive production and the aging curve. Still, it feels like a move that would improve the team, especially considering the struggles Davis had at the plate.

If the Phillies don't intend on bringing Realmuto back, why not try to add him on a multi-year deal? This one-year deal trend must stop, and if Rose's prediction comes to life, the Pirates' backstop situation would look solid entering 2026.