Tommy Pham addition appears to complete this Pirates projected Opening Day lineup

Tommy Pham: RF

In comes the newest Pirate Tommy Pham. At 37 years old, Pham has had his ups and downs recently, having a great season in 2023, yet finishing with below-average numbers in 2024. He does add a more reliable bat than either Jack Suwinski or Joshua Palacios in right field, though, even at his advanced age.

In 2024, Pham batted .248 with nine home runs, driving in 39. His OPS reached .674, along with a wRC+ of 91 and a strikeout rate of 22.2%. These obviously were not great, yet in 2023, he belted 16 home runs and put together a wRC+ of 109.

All fans are hoping for the 2023 version of Pham, but it is likely that they'll receive something closer to what he proved in 2024. Maybe something in between would be a fair compromise and hope.

Ke'Bryan Hayes: 3B

If there was player that needed to hit the reset button the most in 2025, it would be Ke'Bryan Hayes, and recent updates about his back issues bring some optimism that he can return to 2023 form. That type of Hayes would be a huge boost to this lineup that desperately needs it.

Last season, Hayes put together a wRC+ of 59 with a .573 OPS and belted just four home runs. That was unserviceable, but can be mostly attributed to his injury and discomfort. A healthy Hayes has shown the ability to produce a 100 wRC+ with an OPS of .762 and 15 homers in a year.

Getting that version of Hayes is important, and it would be huge for the Pirates to have him healthy. He is a big piece of this team, and when his back issues are under control, he can be a top 10 third baseman in baseball.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa: SS

Concluding the lineup is the Pirates' only remaining MLB acquisition from the 2024 trade deadline. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is mainly known for his glove, but he can hit for average, too, and was having a career year with Matt Hague in Toronto before getting dealt.

With Hague last season, Kiner-Falefa's wRC+ reached 118 with a .292 batting average and 13.2% strikeout rate. Once he came to Pittsburgh, that dropped to 60 and .240, while his K rate rose to a less impressive 19.1%. Getting IKF to where he was in Toronto is important for the Pirates, which is something Hague can hopefully bring out of him.

Ultimately, Kiner-Falefa should be the utility guy off the bench, given his defensive ability all around. Nonetheless, he is the starting shortstop, so getting his bat to work out is crucial.