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4 offseason changes that need to happen if the Pirates miss the playoffs again
Buc-tober is slipping away. Here's how the Pirates can improve for a run in 2025.
Over the past two weeks, the Pirates’ playoff hopes have evaporated due to a 10-game losing streak. A pair of sweeps by the Padres put the final nail in Pittsburgh’s coffin. The odds of seeing rookie Paul Skenes take the mound in a playoff series have now dropped to 0.8 percent.
Unlike most of the Pirates’ season, the recent stretch of mediocrity has little to do with their ability to score runs. In the month of August, the Pirates are averaging 3.75 runs per game and have scored five or more runs six times. Unfortunately, they lost all six of those games.
That’s right. The rotation that put up the third-best starting pitching ERA in the first half of the season holds an MLB-worst 6.59 ERA so far in August. The staff has given up 2.04 home runs per nine innings and has stranded just 61.7% of baserunners this month.
Manager Derek Shelton has also come under fire for the dismal displays lately. His use of the bullpen, particularly of Colin Holderman, has been questioned. Considering the Pirates have blown a lead 29 times this season and are 19-24 in one-run games, the manager’s seat may be getting pretty hot.
On the bright side, the Pirates have some of the most promising young players in the league. Fans got a taste of a Keller-Skenes-Jones rotation before Jared Jones hit the IL. A full season of that trio could very well erase the harsh memories of this recent run. It’s time for the club to look toward the future. There’s a lot of work to do before 2025.
4 offseason changes that need to happen if the Pirates miss the playoffs again
Spend money during free agency
Nothing is more frustrating than being a Pirates fan in January. (OK, maybe being a fan during the season isn’t pleasant, either.) General manager Ben Cherington has been notoriously stingy during the offseason, and he has focused largely on internal development over player acquisition.
In some respects, this approach has paid off. The Pirates are about to have one of the best young core of starters in recent history (thanks, in part, to a lottery pick that yielded Skenes). Pittsburgh’s farm teams have been fairly good allowing pitching prospects to reach their potential, but with so many young players on team-friendly contracts, it’s time to spend some cash.
The Pirates could go for a veteran arm to shore up the back end of the rotation until the next wave of youngsters arrives. Kyle Hendricks could be a good fit here, since Cherington seems to prefer soft-tossers like Marco Gonzales and Martin Perez.
On the offensive side, Cherington could end the revolving door at first base. Pete Alonso is likely out of the GM’s comfort zone price-wise, but Christian Walker would be a great option thanks to his bat and glove. Honestly, the Pirates could probably upgrade at any position and fans would be happy.
Make coaching changes
Shelton may realistically be on the chopping block after the 2024 season. In five seasons at the helm, he has a .411 winning percentage as of Aug. 15. That’s second-worst among active managers with at least 315 games under their belt.
While some of that failure can be attributed to players and situations that Shelton inherited, much of the current season’s frustrations can be laid at the feet of the skipper. Players are getting ripped by the front office for sloppy play, and the bullpen collapses night after night. Shelton, who long served as a hitting coach for various Major League clubs, now oversees a team with the second-worst OPS in the National League.
In fact, hitting coaches across the franchise should be getting a second look. Only Greensboro and the FCL Pirates have an OPS better than league average. Help does not seem to be on the way for the powerless Pittsburgh club.
Finally, Shelton has not effectively overseen the development of the “stars of the future.” Ke’Bryan Hayes, David Bednar, and Holderman have all struggled this season, and Mitch Keller seems to be on the verge of collapse once again. It may be wise to install a new regime before more promising young players make the bigs.
Pick up a bat or two
Of course, this has been the demand for much of the 2024 season. Bryan Reynolds has been carrying the team, leading Pirates starters in most major offensive categories. The rest of the outfield has been woefully underproductive; both Jack Suwinski and Michael A. Taylor have an OPS below .600.
The infield hasn’t been much better. The two best regulars, Rowdy Tellez and Oneil Cruz, are streaky and defensive liabilities. Andrew McCutchen has been serviceable at DH, but his contract expires at the end of the season. The team needs help.
Luckily, pretty much any type of player could fit in well here. The Pirates are second-worst in the National League in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging. Several of the names that floated around the Pirates in the lead-up to the trade deadline could be revisited.
Jesse Winker, for example, is going to be available. His time with the Mets hasn’t been the spark the team has needed. He’s hitting .282, but his power and patience haven’t come into play yet. That could be enough for Winker to explore greener pastures. If the Pirates go for a bigger splash, Tyler O’Neill will be available. PNC Park plays better for lefties, so Winker may be the better and cheaper option here.
Take a cue from division rivals
While the Cubs are proving that you can’t buy your way to a division title, the Pirates’ payroll is diminutive compared to the rest of the NL Central. They’re $14 million shy of the Reds and lagging way behind the other teams.
The Reds are, in fact, a solid model for the Pirates. Both teams have substantial young talent that keeps their payrolls low. They’re never going to be able to compete with the big pockets of the Cubs and Cards, but the Reds haven’t been afraid of mixing it up on the free-agent market. While Jemier Candelario hasn’t quite lived up to his potential in Cincinnati, Pirates fans would appreciate his production at first base.
$14 million could have brought in Candelario over Tellez. It’s the figure that landed Jack Flaherty in Detroit and Jorge Soler in San Francisco (before his return to Atlanta). It very well may be the difference between fighting for a Wild Card spot and staying home in October.
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