Ryan O'Hearn sends loud message to Ben Cherington about Pirates offseason priorities

Ryan O’Hearn might not be the Pittsburgh Pirates’ general manager, but he just handed Ben Cherington a pretty straightforward offseason blueprint.

The Pirates’ late-season surge won't put them in the playoffs, and nothing that happens over the final few games should erase the disappointment of another October spent at home. But Pittsburgh has at least spent September proving there is a legitimate core here worth investing in.

Now, Cherington has to actually invest in it.

“This definitely feels like a group to build off of,” O’Hearn said Tuesday after Pittsburgh's 2-0 shutout of the St. Louis Cardinals. “I'm not the GM; I don't make those decisions in the offseason. But it definitely feels like a group that's building together moving forward. It doesn't feel like the end.”

That should be treated as more than a feel-good quote about finishing strong. It should be a direct challenge to the Pirates front office.

The Pirates enter Wednesday at 80-77 after going 13-6 in September. Konnor Griffin is healthy and looks every bit like a foundational player. Oneil Cruz has been one of Pittsburgh’s hottest hitters since late August. Rafael Flores Jr. has forced his way into the long-term conversation. Jared Jones has been dominant in September, while Mason Montgomery has emerged as one of baseball’s most effective relievers.

There is finally enough talent here that the Pirates shouldn't enter another offseason talking primarily about internal improvement and hoping everything breaks right. And if Cherington wants to prove the organization sees it the same way, re-signing Brandon Lowe is an obvious place to start.

Asked whether he would like to see Lowe return, O’Hearn did not mince words.

“Are you asking me if I would love to have a guy that hits 30-plus homers and probably 100 RBIs, that plays Gold Glove second base, and is a stud in the clubhouse?” O’Hearn said. “Like yeah, I would love to have that guy back.”

So should the Pirates.

Brandon Lowe free agency is first real test of whether Ben Cherington intends to build around this Pirates core

Lowe has given Pittsburgh the type of middle-of-the-order power it spent years trying unsuccessfully to manufacture on the cheap. He has helped a lineup that once looked completely incapable of producing enough offense set a franchise record for home runs.

And now the Pirates face a choice. They can look at Lowe’s production, his fit in the clubhouse and the progress this offense has made and decide that keeping him is part of building a legitimate contender. Or they can let one of their best hitters walk, create another major hole in the lineup and spend the winter trying to replace production they already had.

Re-signing Lowe would not complete the offseason by itself. The Pirates still need to determine what they have behind the plate, improve their depth and make sure a bullpen that stabilized after the trade deadline does not regress. But Lowe represents something larger. He's an early test of whether Pittsburgh intends to add to this roster or merely rearrange it.

The Pirates can't fall into the trap of treating a winning record as the destination. Finishing above .500 for the first time since 2018 would be progress, but it wouldn't be success. The standard has to be October.

O’Hearn’s comments make clear that the players inside the clubhouse believe this group can get there.

“I’ve been on teams where it kind of felt like the end-of-an-era-type thing,” O’Hearn said. “But this definitely feels like a team that you want to build forward with.”

Then build forward. Keep Lowe. Supplement Griffin, Cruz, O’Hearn and Flores. Give Paul Skenes, Jones, Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler an offense capable of supporting them. Add to the bullpen instead of spending half a season waiting to repair it.

The Pirates have spent years waiting for a young core worthy of significant investment. They finally appear to have one. Cherington’s next job is proving ownership and the front office are willing to treat it that way.

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