Pittsburgh Pirates: Recent Comments Give Optimism for the Offseason

In a recent statement, Pittsburgh Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington declared, "We’ll look at any possible means to do that. Any way you can acquire a player is something we need to be looking at this offseason. It’s not just Major League free agency. … We’ll exhaust every avenue." These words are like music to the ears of Pirates fans, offering a beacon of hope for the future.

Cherington's commitment to exploring every avenue to improve the team is undeniably encouraging. It suggests that the Pirates are not limiting themselves to a single path to find talent. In fact, recent reports hint at their serious consideration of international free agents, including Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. This move could inject much-needed talent and excitement into the team's roster, marking a new era for the Pirates. Could he be hinting at this with the way it is worded?

Cherington further emphasized the team's willingness to trade young players and prospects if it makes sense for the Pirates' long-term goals. This statement opens up intriguing possibilities, especially when you consider the wealth of middle-infield talent within the organization.

With the left side of the infield taken up by the likes of Ke'Bryan Hayes, Oneil Cruz, and the Pirates only other remaining question is the right side of the infield. They have a plethora of assets that could potentially be used such as Nick Gonzales, Liover Peguero, Jared Triolo, and Ji-Hwan Bae to name a few. They might be able to use that prospect capital to acquire established talent that could help the team compete at a higher level.

It is reason for optomism to see such comments by the general manager. Many will say "we will see it when it happens", while I can see it is time for the Front Office to put up or shutup. The team made strides this year and has the foundation of a somewhat decent team. The team should get better with their younger players, but they also need to make a commitment to build around those players. If Cherington's comments are legitimate then maybe we will be in for a busy offseason.