Pittsburgh Pirates: Under-the-Radar Pitchers to Target in Free Agency

In an effort to bolster their pitching staff, the Pittsburgh Pirates could pursue these five free agents this offseason

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a vital offseason ahead and must make some roster moves, mostly in the starting rotation, to reinforce a team that could be a contender. The Pirate pitching staff is still uncertain, but if they do pursue pitchers this offseason, these five could be possible acquisitions.

No. 4 Trevor May

Trevor May has had a strong career as a reliever who can close games and started some previously. In 2023, May was mostly a closer for the Athletics, where he showed his potential to be a key piece in the bullpen after struggling with the Mets in 2022.

May will be going into his tenth season at age 34, but coming off his best season ever. If the Pirates could sign him to reinforce the back of the bullpen, they could emerge as one of the best. May struggled to start the season with the Athletics, which is a given when you don't get any run support. But in his small sample size of 46 innings, he did well with a 3.28 ERA.

In 2023, May struggled a bit with his control and gave up a career-high in walks, but he didn't give up as many hits or runs. His main problem with signing with the Pirates is that his costs are quite steep, as he has earned at least $7 million a year for the past three seasons with the Mets and Athletics. It's unknown if the Pirates will target May, but it could be possible.

No. 3 Johnny Cueto

Johnny Cueto didn't pitch much in 2023, but when he did, he struggled. It seems likely the Marlins will decline his 2024 club option worth $10.5 million and instead will give him $2.5 million as a buyout. Cueto wouldn't be new to Pittsburgh as he pitched against the Pirates in the 2013 Wild Card Game versus the Pirates, in which the Reds lost after Cueto gave up four runs.

Cueto is now 37 years old, but he still has much more left in the tank after his amazing 2022 campaign with the Chicago White Sox, which earned him a contract with the Marlins. But in 2023, he started the season off hurt and didn't get much playing time.

When he did pitch in 2023, he started ten games, played in thirteen, and finished one of them. He only pitched in 52 innings to an ERA of 6.02, which was kind of to be expected when you play hurt.

The Pirates are hoping to make the playoffs soon, and Cueto has playoff experience and even helped the Kansas City Royals win the World Series in 2015 when he threw a complete game, only giving up one run in the 2015 World Series.

No. 2 Jack Flaherty

Jack Flaherty was expected to be a massive 2023 trade deadline acquisition for the Baltimore Orioles, who have gone on to win their division and make the playoffs. But Flaherty has been one of the worst acquisitions at the deadline and barely is pitching now.

In previous years with the St. Louis Cardinals, Flaherty was showing he could be the next ace of the Cardinals, replacing Adam Wainwright, but that all failed after struggling in the 2022 season, which never stopped happening, including struggles in the 2023 season too.

After getting traded to the Orioles, Flaherty pitched in nine games, and he hasn't shown much, pitching to an ERA of 6.75 while costing them many games. His many struggles have been giving up hits because after his trade to the Orioles, he actually started to walk fewer people, but the hit rate skyrocketed to an unbearable rate.

Flaherty's two best MLB seasons were 2018 and 2019, the latter of which saw him finish fourth in Cy Young voting and even got some MVP votes. The Pirates are known to be able to revive the careers of former star pitchers, and that could be a huge possibility with Flaherty, who is still only 27 years old and could be a long-term solution for the Pirates' rotation.

No. 1 Kenta Maeda

Kenta Maeda has been playing in MLB since 2016 and has never been the best pitcher, but has always been consistent, which is what you need from a pitcher.

Maeda was a star Japanese pitcher before joining the Los Angeles Dodgers on a minuscule eight-year $25 million contract, which is about to finish its final year. He was later traded to the Twins and had a massive 2020 season in which he finished second in Cy Young voting right behind Shane Bieber.

Maeda missed the whole 2022 season due to injury, but in 2023, he showed what he does best, which is eating innings and striking batters out. Maeda doesn't walk hitters often and also doesn't give up too many hits. His ERA is 4.23 and should be much lower, but his main problem has been run support, and he only has a record of six and eight with the Twins.

He has pitched in many postseason games but never has really been a starter and has 25 games, but only four starts. When he pitches in the postseason for the most part, he has been good, and in 2020 with the Twins, he pitched five shutout innings in the Wild Card Game against the Houston Astros and only gave up two hits and three walks.

Maeda has been an under-the-radar player his whole career, but he has been one of the most consistent pitchers his whole career and just doesn't get any of the respect he deserves. If the Pirates could acquire him for the low price that he is, he could be a major part of the 2024 season for them.