Pirates front office sends a clear message on offseason priorities at PiratesFest

We've known for a while what Ben Cherington believes must still be done in order to cap off the Pittsburgh Pirates' offseason. The executive named another position player (preferably on the left side of the infield), a starting pitcher, and another bullpen arm as things he'd like to add before putting a bow on the winter.

We're in a strange place with the Pirates actually looking to add real talent, but the question that has been on fans' minds is just how far Pittsburgh's spending power can truly extend. While Cherington rattled off a list of areas he'd like to improve in early January, he quickly did an about face to heap praise on Jared Triolo as an option at the hot corner.

"We've got Triolo, who took a step forward, and we have a lot of confidence in Tri whether it's at short, or third, or in a multi-position role," Cherington said during an appearance on MLB Network Radio.

Was that the subtle hedging of the bets? Was the oft-criticized executive hinting that one of those additions, but not all, would be possible?

Apparently not. Cherington told fans and PiratesFest that the Pirates are still targeting starting pitching, particularly a left-handed starter, and looking at third basemen. The difference between these comments and his earlier statements is that it doesn't seem like an either/or scenario.

"We're going to continue to be aggressive to find ways to improve the team that we think make sense for the Pirates in 2026 and beyond. And as long as someone is still a free agent, it means we have a chance. I don't feel like we're limited in the sense of like well if we do this thing over here, we can't do this thing over there," Cherington told the crowd.

Ben Cherington assures fans the Pirates are still looking to be aggressive and want to add both a starting pitcher and a third baseman before the end of the offseason

So it seems safe to assume that the Pirates will fill both holes, which is good news. How good depends on the degree to which they intend to address those concerns.

On the third base front, are we looking at a Eugenio Suarez signing? Or something less consequential, like one of the various utilitymen still sitting on the market?

On the pitching front, does this mean we can expect the Pirates to try and get the most bang for their buck and reunite with Jose Quintana? Or is something more substantial in the cards?

The free-agent market is thinning out, but that doesn't mean that the Pirates will settle for something that may only be a marginal upgrade at best. Cherington also said they'd be active in the trade market, so the search will be exhaustive.

There's still a limit to how much Pittsburgh can extend itself, but the message is clear. The club is serious about upgrades and will pursue any avenue, as long as it makes "sense."