Pirates can't afford to stop adding to the bullpen following Gregory Soto signing

Last night, the Pirates signed left-handed reliever Gregory Soto to a one-year deal. For $7.75M, Pittsburgh got the high-leverage southpaw that they needed. Theirbullpen required some adjustments, especially with their lack of left-handers on the 40-man roster. Soto is a great start, but the Pirates cannot be done adding to their bullpen.

Adding bats is the obvious priority this offseason, yet adding to the bullpen remains very important during the process. The backend of the Pirates' 'pen is solid, but there is still some work to be done. The Pirates could use another high-leverage reliever in the mix.

Pirates should still look to add a closer following the Gregory Soto signing.

Soto will be a late-inning reliever, and his primary role should involve neutralizing left-handed hitters, instead of facing whoever happens to arrive in the eighth or ninth inning. In 2025, opposing left-handed bats put together a batting average of just .192 with a .269 SLG and a 3.24 FIP. Right-handed hitters batted .307 with a .401 SLG. While he has nasty stuff, the Pirates can't afford to misuse him in critical situations against potentially three righty bats. He must be a high-leverage lefty specialist.

Dennis Santana is the returning closer, and he has definitely made his case to stick in the late innings. He finished the year with a 2.18 ERA and an opposing batting average of .176. He was very difficult to hit, but some stats indicate he might regress in 2026. His BABIP went down to .211 last year, 69 points lower than what it was when he was even more dominant in 2024. The MLB league average is around .300, and with his lack of strikeout stuff, he got slightly lucky in terms of the contact he induced. He is still a great reliever, but it couldn't hurt to get a more reliable closer instead.

This duo is strong, but also not quite elite. Adding a closer to make these two the seventh and eighth inning tandem is the right idea.

Pete Fairbanks could be a fit, but would also be more expensive than fans would like. He was the closer for the Rays for three years in a row and was very effective. He has accounted for 75 saves in that duration.

The Pirates could definitely use more help in the bullpen following the addition of Soto. Their late inning relievers are solid, and adding a new closer would make this unit dominant. Offense is obviously the priority this offseason, but they can't neglect their bullpen. Following both paths would prove to the fanbase that they are serious about contending. Get it done, Ben.