The Pirates already know how to fix their bullpen and it's painfully obvious

The Pirates’ bullpen has been a problem since Day One. Just two other NL teams (the Nationals and the Reds) have blown as many saves as Pittsburgh. Just as the front office identified offense as a key area for improvement this offseason, Ben Cherington should pull out all the stops in pursuit of bullpen help now.

This winter, the Pirates proved that they would spend the money to make a legitimate run at a division title. The formerly stingy front office reeled in free agents Marcell Ozuna and Ryan O’Hearn. Brandon Lowe and Jake Mangum were brought in via trade. It’s time for the Bucs to find similar signings and deals to bolster the bullpen.

The bullpen has been the sole factor holding Pirates back from true competitiveness

Much of the trade deadline focus will be on the big-name starting pitchers like Tarik Skubal and Joe Ryan. The Pirates’ rotation is a strength, which will allow the team to buck the trend and focus on relief pitchers. The gem of the class will be Aroldis Chapman, who played with Pittsburgh in 2024. Given Cherington’s former work in the Red Sox front office, the Pirates may have a decent shot to swing this deal, but Pittsburgh would likely have to include a number of high-ranking prospects.

The Pirates could also look to the division-rival Cardinals as a trade partner. Lefty JoJo Romero will be a free agent after the 2027 season and reportedly could be flipped for a bench piece or a lower-tier prospect. That said, both Pittsburgh and St. Louis are potential buyers and will be competing with each other for either the division or the Wild Card, so they may not be bedfellows.

If Cherington is looking ahead to the proposed salary floor, he may chase a higher-priced option. Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen (roughly $5 million) and Orioles closer Ryan Helsley (roughly $7 million) could be rentals. The situation is so dire that the Pirates should not shy away from spending some serious cash.

Even with the recent slump, the Pirates have something good going on this year, and the front office needs to do anything it can to support that success. The moral of the story is that Cherington must be aggressive in searching for relievers. It's understandable if he's not interested in spending top dollar for a rental, and if that's the case he'll need to seek out controllable options. Whatever the case, the talent is out there and the Pirates' bullpen needs it.

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