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

A corner outfield spot was the missing piece to the Pirates roster entering the month of February. Adding Tommy Pham closed that hole, and now their Opening Day lineup looks complete on paper. Let's take a look at how the 2025 Pirates may look from top to bottom.

This is how the Pirates lineup might look on Opening Day, following the Tommy Pham addition.

Andrew McCutchen: DH

Leading off is Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates' face of the franchise that re-signed to his third consecutive one-year deal in Pittsburgh this offseason. At 38 years of age, McCutchen is at his best when he is in the leadoff spot.

In the leadoff spot last year, McCutchen put together an OPS of .780 with 15 home runs and 35 runs driven in. He also put together a wRC+ of 117, along with an average strikeout rate of 24.7% and a solid walk rate of 10.7%.

At this point in his career, McCutchen is just slightly above-average, so the Pirates should try to get the best out of him wherever they can. His success atop the lineup means he should bat first.

Bryan Reynolds: LF

Following McCutchen would be Bryan Reynolds, the player that the Pirates signed to their biggest contract in franchise history. He is by far the best hitter in the lineup, which means he should hit second in the order.

Last season, Reynolds led the team with a .791 OPS, which came from an on-base percentage of .344 and a slugging percentage of .447. He belted 24 home runs, 29 doubles, and three triples as well. His wRC+ reached 118 and he drove in 88 runs.

He is a two time All-Star for a reason, and will be a force in the Pirates lineup. Nowadays the best hitter resides in the second slot, which sets Reynolds up here.

Oneil Cruz: CF

Next up in the order comes Oneil Cruz, the new center fielder in the organization. After switching from shortstop to center, Cruz is set for a big year at the plate, and has been given some high praise, in anticipation of a few impressive feats in 2025.

In 2024, Cruz hit the ball hard almost exclusively, with a barrel rate of 15.7, average exit velocity of 95.5 mph, and a hard-hit rate of 54.9%. All of that ranked in the 97th percentile or higher. That led to him to 21 home runs, 34 doubles, and an OPS of .773. He also stole 22 bases to tie into a solid wRC+ of 110.

Cruz needs to cut down on the strikeouts in 2025, and if he does so, he could turn into one of the best center fielders in baseball. He has all the tools, and this season will show if he can really put it all together consistently.

Joey Bart: C

Likely one of the best, if not the best, trades during the Ben Cherington era is the Joey Bart acquisition. He has only been productive for one year in his career, yet that great stretch of games came in Pittsburgh, changing the future outlook behind the plate for the Pirates moving forward.

In just 80 games with the Pirates, Bart belted 13 home runs and 11 doubles to generate a slugging percentage of .462. That paired with an on-base percentage of .337 to create an OPS of .799. He also added a wRC+ of 121.

FanGraphs' projections anticipate Bart will take a step back in 2025, but the Pirates need him to remain an above-average hitter amid any regressions. His power fits great in the cleanup spot, and if he repeats his success from 2024, then the Pirates have found themselves a slugger behind the plate.

Billy Cook: 1B

The biggest addition to the offense this offseason came from a trade with the Guardians for Spencer Horwitz. One issue, though, is his current injury, which likely takes him out for opening day.

At the plate with the Blue Jays, Horwitz put together a wRC+ of 127 with an OPS of .790. He belted 12 home runs with 19 doubles and 40 runs driven in. He struck out at a low rate of 18.4% and walked at a high clip of 11%.

All eyes are on Horwitz right now to fill in a hole at first base that the Pirates have not been able to figure out for years. His left-handed bat was a much-needed upgrade, and he is already projected to be the Pirates best overall hitter, according to FanGraphs' steamer projections. Unfortunately, he will miss 6-to-8 weeks while rehabbing from wrist surgery, meaning it is unlikely (excepting a best-case scenario) that he will be ready for Opening Day. In our estimation, Billy Cook will primarily fill his spot for now after hitting .224 with three homers in 49 MLB at-bats last fall.

Nick Gonzales: 2B

Another player expected to really break out in 2025 is Nick Gonzales, Cherington's first draft pick with the Pirates. He showed a lot of great improvements from his 2023 season to his 2024 campaign, which provides fans with a lot of hope for his future.

In 2024, Gonzales drove in 49 runs, belted seven home runs and piled up 19 doubles. He also went from a 63 wRC+ to a 94, which represented a profound step in the right direction. Another positive was his strikeout rate going from 28.1% to 19.1%.

Gonzales also brings a solid glove to the table, so keeping him in the lineup is important for the Pirates this season. If he continues to develop, he could turn into one of the top hitters on the team.

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.