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Top 3 goals the Pirates should set heading into the Winter Meetings

The Pirates should have these three things at the top of their to-do list this week.

ByNoah Wright|
Jun 5, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington speaks on the phone in the dugout before the Pirates host the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Jun 5, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington speaks on the phone in the dugout before the Pirates host the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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Improve the bullpen

At this time last year, the Pirates' bullpen looked like it could be one of the best in baseball. With breakouts from Ryan Borucki, Dauri Moreta, and Colin Holderman, along with All-Star David Bednar and rookie Carmen Mlodzinski all returning for 2024, a Pirates lead after the sixth inning looked like it would be a sure thing 99% of the time. Then, they made a huge splash by adding Aroldis Chapman at the end of January.

Somehow, the Pirates' bullpen quickly started to fall apart despite their foundation. Moreta underwent Tommy John surgery at the end of spring training, while Borucki landed on the IL during the season's first week. The southpaw wouldn't return until September. Bednar was not his normal self, and Holderman completely fell apart after the All-Star break. Chapman was good, but he certainly had his patented moments of strife, too.

The Pirates still have a solid foundation to work with. Bednar's season might end up being a fluke, given his stuff looked better than ever. Kyle Nicolas had a fine rookie campaign, while Dennis Santana was a huge surprise and may have even put himself in contention for a high-leverage role for next season. Mlodzinski will also likely play a significant role. But there's still work that needs to be done.

The Pirates only have one lefty reliever on the 40-man roster, and that's Joey Wentz. Wentz didn't do badly in his short late-season showing with the Bucs, but he is far from a good bet. Aside from that, the team could definitely use another reliever with closing experience in the event Bednar doesn't rebound.

There should be plenty of opportunities to add relievers during the Winter Meetings. Free agent options like A.J. Minter, Jose Leclerc, Tim Hill, Hoby Milner, Carlos Estevez, Andrew Kittredge, David Robertson, Kenley Jansen, Blake Treinen, Kirby Yates, and Andrew Chafin, along with a handful of others, are still looking for contracts. Plus, there are always teams willing to move relievers in trades.

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