Pirates might've saved up for free agency after 2026 arbitration salaries revealed

The Pittsburgh Pirates quietly checked an important offseason box Thursday, and they did it with very little fanfare.

With the arbitration deadline arriving at 1 p.m. ET, the Pirates avoided hearings with every eligible player, reaching one-year agreements across the board and ensuring zero trips to an arbitration panel in 2026.

No drama. No public disputes. No uncomfortable hearings where a player’s weaknesses get dissected in a conference room. Just clean business — and a bullpen, lineup, and catching group that now have clarity heading into spring.

The deals the Pirates reached with their remaining arbitration-eligible players built upon agreements already finalized earlier in the offseason with Jack Suwinski ($1.25 million) and Yohan Ramirez ($825,000). They also reshaped the arbitration pool via transactions –– Johan Oviedo was traded to Boston in the Jhostynxon Garcia deal, while Dauri Moreta was designated for assignment and is pursuing an opportunity in Japan.

As a result, they now have cost certainty, minimal risk, and — perhaps most importantly — no distractions. For a franchise that values internal harmony and budget predictability, that’s not nothing.

How the Pirates' drama-free arbitration deadline came together

The biggest number of the group belongs to Dennis Santana, who agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal. And he earned it.

After losing his arbitration case last year, the right-hander responded with a dominant 2025: a 2.18 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts over 70.1 innings, while converting 16 saves. He enters 2026 as the clear favorite to open the season as the Pirates’ closer — a role he stabilized when the bullpen desperately needed it.

This deal rewards performance without locking the club into long-term risk, which is exactly how Pittsburgh prefers to operate.

In addition to Santana, fellow reliever Justin Lawrence also avoided arbitration with a one-year, $1.225 million agreement.

Lawrence’s 2025 season was short — just 17 appearances due to injury — but it was undeniably effective. He allowed only one run while posting a 23:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 17.2 innings. If healthy, he profiles as a valuable middle-relief weapon in a bullpen that suddenly has real depth.

This is a low-risk bet on health and stuff. If it clicks, it’s a bargain. If it doesn't, Pittsburgh is only out just over $1 million.

Joey Bart agreed to a one-year, $2.53 million contract, locking in the Pirates’ catching tandem for another season. It's a fairly sizable discount for Pittsburgh, whose catcher was projected to earn $4 million in arbitration this year.

Bart’s 2025 numbers — .249/.355/.340 with four home runs — don’t jump off the page, but context matters. He started 76 games behind the plate, mixed in DH reps, and saw his season interrupted by a concussion suffered May 27 in Arizona.

The Pirates know there’s more in the bat. Just one year earlier, Bart posted a .799 OPS after arriving from San Francisco, and the organization still believes both he and Henry Davis can be better — offensively and defensively — in 2026. That’s especially true with Endy Rodríguez and Rafael Flores expected to factor back into the mix long-term. This is a “prove it” year for everyone involved.

Finally, the Pirates also reached a one-year, $3.3 million agreement with Oneil Cruz in his first season of arbitration eligibility. It’s a fair number — and a telling one.

Cruz’s 2025 season was unbelievably frustrating: a .200/.298/.378 slash line that left fans wanting more. But the tools still showed up. He hit 20 home runs and stole 38 bases, reminding everyone why the ceiling remains so tantalizing.

This deal reflects exactly where Cruz stands right now: immense upside, inconsistent production, and a critical season ahead in determining what he ultimately becomes.

For the Pirates, a lack of arbitration hearings signals organizational alignment, cost certainty and a roster that knows exactly where it stands heading into spring training. Now the pressure shifts back where it belongs: on performance.

Because while the Pirates avoided arbitration, they still need answers — from Cruz, from the catching tandem, from a bullpen that looks promising but must prove it again.

Clean paperwork is nice. Wins are better.