Pirates' big 3-team trade has former top draft pick's role up in the air for 2026 season

For the first time in a long time, the Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t just talk about upgrading the lineup — they actually did it.

Landing Brandon Lowe in that three-team trade with the Tampa Bay Rays was a real, tangible statement. It brought power to an offense that’s spent years begging for it. 31 home runs don’t just slide into the Pirates’ lineup quietly. They demand space.

And that’s where things get uncomfortable — because that space used to belong to Nick Gonzales.

Not long ago, Gonzales was the plan. A first-round pick. A college bat. The guy who was supposed to stabilize second base and give the Pirates a reliable, everyday presence. Instead, he just lived through a 2025 season that felt like it quietly slipped away. The .260 average looked fine on paper, but five home runs and a .661 OPS from a cornerstone infield spot? That’s not what this team can afford anymore — not with Paul Skenes on the mound and expectations finally shifting.

The Lowe trade changed the math. This wasn't a “maybe” upgrade. It wasn't competition for depth. This was the Pirates acquiring their best bat of the offseason, full stop. And even with Lowe’s defensive warts at second base, the Pirates are clearly prioritizing offense. That alone tells you where things are heading.

Brandon Lowe puts Pirates in uncomfortable position with Nick Gonzales for 2026 (and possibly beyond)

Ben Cherington can say Gonzales will have a “really important role” all he wants — and maybe he means it. But the subtext is loud: nothing is guaranteed anymore.

Second base? That door is closing. Shortstop? Maybe — but only if Gonzales can outplay Jared Triolo, outlast potential additions, and fend off the looming presence of Konnor Griffin. Utility role? That’s not what you draft a first-round bat for — but it might be where this ends up.

This is the uncomfortable part of a rebuild turning into something real. When a team starts trying to win, sentimentality disappears fast. Draft pedigree stops mattering. Timelines compress. The leash gets shorter.

For years, the Pirates had the luxury of patience. Gonzales could struggle and reset and tinker because the stakes were low. That safety net is gone now. The Lowe trade didn’t just upgrade the lineup — it sent a message to everyone already in it.

Produce. Adapt. Or get passed.

That doesn’t mean Gonzales is done. Cherington is right about one thing: this is a challenge. And maybe Gonzales responds the way the Pirates have always hoped he would. Maybe positional flexibility becomes his path. Maybe the bat finally shows more impact.

But for the first time since he arrived, Gonzales isn’t being handed opportunity anymore. He’s being asked to earn it — on a roster that suddenly looks like it’s done waiting.