Why the Reds' acquisition of Gavin Lux puts more pressure on Pirates' Ben Cherington

As soon as the Dodgers' signing of Hye-seong Kim was annouced, it was no secret that Gavin Lux was likely to be traded. That came true quickly, as he was dealt to the Cinncinati Reds in exchange for outfield prospect Mike Sirota and a competitive balance draft pick (No. 37 overall) on Monday.

Lux was an interesting name for the Pirates to target, as their future in the middle infield is up for grabs. Oneil Cruz getting shifted to center field changed the long-term calculus, and stopgap Isiah Kiner-Falefa is set to become a free agent after the season. Now that Lux is off the board and onto a rival squad, all the pressure is on Ben Cherington to keep up.

Recent Reds acquisition of Gavin Lux puts the spotlight on Ben Cherington to compete with NL Central rivals to build up the Pirates.

In terms of competition in the NL Cental this offseason, the Pirates have not had the worst offseason, but they've been nowhere near the most active (or most successful) team. The Cubs have been the most active club, with a few dangerous additions, and the Reds have made a few moves that have helped improve their roster. Milwaukee added left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr. and impactful infield prospect Caleb Durbin, but dealt away Devin Williams to do so.

The Pirates have secured their long-term first baseman and designated hitter for 2025, but they are still nowhere near ready for the season to start. It is January, and the Pirates are far behind two of their rivals that were very close to them in 2024, in terms of added production. This division is up for grabs, and it seems very even from top to bottom.

If the Pirates want any chance of contending for the playoffs, they need to find their replacements for the holes on their roster. They need an outfielder, and they have reported interest in one, having been attached to Alex Verdugo in recent days. That move would likely be an upgrade from what they had in place, but would not exactly represent the star fans were hoping for.

It's now or never for Cherington to upgrade the team. There is not a lot of time left until spring training, and their rivals within the division continue to get better. The Pirates have a legitimate shot to compete this year, but only if they make a few more additions to the team.