Pirates bullpen is quietly becoming a massive post-deadline bright spot

The Pirates completely rebuilt the bullpen at the trade deadline, and although the team has slipped in the standings since then, the relief corps has been a bright spot.

Newcomers like Lake Bachar and 2026 Pirates mainstays such as Mason Montgomery have turned the team’s greatest weakness into a strength. With many of the relievers locked up through 2027, this deadline could prove to be a turning point for Pittsburgh’s long-term outlook.

Since the trade deadline, Pirates relievers have posted a 2.22 ERA, the fourth-best mark in the Majors. They have utterly dominated opponents, striking out a league-best 37 batters in that span. More importantly, the bullpen has done its most essential job: the relief corps has left 87% of runners on base, which ranks fifth in baseball. In short, the Pirates’ bullpen is slamming the door.

The Pirates have turned their greatest weakness into a legitimate strength

The relievers that Ben Cherington picked up at the deadline are more than pulling their weight. Bachar, Luke Weaver, Kirby Yates, and Camilo Doval have combined to allow just three runs in 13 innings. Yates, who has shouldered a bulk of the work during the Pirates’ recent blowouts and threw 52 pitches in a four-day span last week, also brings a veteran presence that will likely help younger relievers such as his protege Carmen Mlodzinski.

The new blood seems to have spurred players who have been in Pittsburgh all year. Montgomery has settled into a high-leverage role. Yohan Ramírez has been an effective innings eater when Pittsburgh is playing from behind. In August, Ramírez has allowed just one hit in 6 1/3 scoreless innings.

It is unfortunate, then, that Cherington and the Pirates’ front office seems to have done the exact right thing at the deadline and still found their team floundering in the season’s final months. The Pirates’ bullpen ranked in the bottom third of the league in statistics such as walks, ERA, LOB rate, and wOBA. The current crew seems to have turned all these areas around.

Now if the rest of the squad can find its footing, the Pirates may have something left in the tank for 2026.

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