Pittsburgh Pirates: Three More Starting Pitchers to Pursue in Free Agency

Right-handed pitcher Frankie Montas

After a forgettable tenure in The Bronx, where he was mostly bad or injured for the Yankees during his year and half in pinstripes, the former Oakland A's star will be one of the many starting options hitting the open market.

The team that signs Frankie Montas will likely be attaining his services for cheaper than usual, because that's what comes with signing a free agent pitcher coming off a year-long shoulder injury. It would undoubtedly be a risk, but one that could come with great reward.

During his time in Oakland, Montas was mostly fantastic. He had a little blip during the 2020 shortened season where he wasn't great, but if you look at the rest of his seasons since 2018, he has been completely legit. Before being traded to the Yankees last year, he had a 3.19 ERA in 19 starts with more strikeouts than innings pitched. As long as he is back to full health, this is absolutely a move the Pirates should make.

He won't be cheap, but he won't break the bank either. A pitcher with those numbers and no injury concerns would. Therefore, this is a risk worth taking for the Pirates. It's potential for a legitimate frontline starter at a discount, which is why Ben Cherington should be interested.

Right-handed pitcher Alex Cobb

After quiety being extremely solid for the past few seasons, Alex Cobb finally earned his first All-Star nod in his 12th Major League season this past year, and it was certainly deserved. As one of the few bright spots on a Giants team that largely disappointed this year, this would be another nice get for Pittsburgh.

He's posted an ERA under 4 in three straight seasons, going back to his lone season as an Angel in 2021. This would be a singing much like Rich Hill, a veteran who you know is going to give you innings. But unlike Rich Hill, Cobb's innings wouldn't come with a 5+ ERA.

We've seen that the Pirates aren't shy when it comes to signing free agent pitchers on the older side, and Cobb certainly fits that demographic with his age-36 season on the horizon. However, there's a great reason to believe he has plenty of juice left, and he would be an amazing addition to bolster a playoff hopeful ball club as a mid-rotation piece.

Right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray

Truly one of the most underrated pitchers in the game over the last two seasons, Sonny Gray would be the most expensive (and therefore the least likely) option on this list. He's been nothing short of incredible in his two seasons in Minnesota, and will most likely get Cy Young votes this year.

He's posted ace-level numbers with a 2.84 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and his 2.84 FIP tells you that it's not a fluke. He doesn't allow home runs and he gives his team a chance to win every five days. He and Pablo Lopez will anchor a playoff rotation for a Minnesota team that could be a dark horse in the American League.

Obviously, this one is probably not going to happen, but I included it because he still shouldn't break the bank entirely as he isn't young. Next year will be his 12th season in the big leagues and he will be 34 years old. Once again, the Pirates severely lack veterans on their pitching staff, which is why he couldn't be a better fit. Skenes, Gray, Keller would instantly be one of the best rotation frontlines in the National League.

All in all, the Pirates should prioritize quality over quantity this upcoming free agency. A few quality players would go a much longer was than a bunch of the usual bargain bin players that fans are used to. The team has shown what they can do this month despite having two starting pitchers, so it's not hard to imagine what they could possibly do with five.