Pittsburgh Pirates Aim to Add More Offense This Offseason

Boasting one of the best young duos on the mound in Paul Skenes and Jared Jones won’t mean much for the Pittsburgh Pirates if they can’t score more runs next season.

Contributing to the offense is among Pirates’ general manager Ben Cherington’s top priorities. He also noted that it won’t be as simple as the Pirates going out and signing free agents.

“We have to score more points,” Cherington told general manager meetings In San Antonio, Texas. “It’s a combination of our interior position players taking a step forward and finding a way to add to that base.”

Pittsburgh had among the league’s worst offenses last season, finishing in the bottom 10 in nearly every major category.

Internal growth means that players are: Ke’Bryan Hayes He is returning to form after a disappointing 2024 season. The Pirates’ third baseman hit just four home runs and slashed .233/.283/.290 while having 25 RBIs. Hayes has proven he can be a solid player in the past, batting .271/.309/.453 with 15 home runs and driving in 61 runs.

The return of former top prospect Endy Rodríguez could also be part of the boost Cherington is hoping for. The 24-year-old catcher hit 25 home runs and drove in 95 runs in his final season in the minor leagues in 2022. Rodríguez pitched in the major leagues in 2023, hitting three home runs and driving in 13 runs. .220/.284.328 through 57 games.

He missed nearly all of last season due to a UCL tear and played in just 10 games in the minor leagues in 2024.

If Pittsburgh is truly going to be in the NL Central, it needs to add a proven bat or two to the mix rather than relying entirely on the growth of the players it currently has. Someone like the first goalie Christian Walker He could be perfect for the Pirates, but whether they’d be willing to open up the checkbook for a player of his caliber seems unlikely given the franchise’s history in free agency.

pirates They can’t afford to stick with the status quo if they want to get the most out of Skenes and Jones alongside Mitch Keller in their rotation. If Cherington can survive this offseason, Pittsburgh could be setting itself up for another disappointing season.

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