Brothers Johan (No. 11) and Yordany De Los Santos (No. 14) both sit in the Pirates' MLB Pipeline Top 30. Pittsburgh's player development director praises their work ethic and character, calling them different players bound by a tight bond. 🤝
Cubs passed on a $23.15M qualifying offer to Ian Happ, so the Pittsburgh native hits free agency with no draft-pick cost to the Pirates. Power and Gold Glove defense fit, but his .145 average against lefties clashes with a Pirates lineup that went 18-33 against them. ⚾
Free agency is open, and Pirates Beat floats five targets for 2027 as Pittsburgh chases an end to its 11-year postseason drought. Lefties Foster Griffin and JoJo Romero are early ideas, with Griffin adding balance to a right-handed rotation. 🎯
If Brandon Lowe leaves, Nick Gonzales would likely slide back to second base, opening third. The free-agent third base market is thin, with Teruaki Sato, J.P. Crawford and Alec Bohm among the names, so a trade might suit Ben Cherington better. 🔍
The Pirates claimed OF Akil Baddoo off waivers from the Brewers, but he hit just .138 against lefties in 2026 at Triple-A, and Pittsburgh ranked last in MLB against lefty starters. Great vs. righties (.939 OPS), though, so the fit is platoon-shaped. 🧩
Of nine Pirates prospects in the Arizona Fall League, Wyatt Sanford (.291/.400/.436, two HRs, a 454-footer) and Bryan Mena (no earned runs in four appearances) stand out. Glendale has the league's worst record, so the showcase is the real prize. ⚡
MLBTR's free agent predictions tie the Pirates to four players, led by Brandon Lowe (projected 3 years, $69M, with Pittsburgh among the guesses). Lowe led the team with 35 homers and 96 RBI. J.P. Crawford is pegged as a possible fallback. Pirates extended Lowe a qualifying offer.
Pirates claimed outfielder Akil Baddoo off waivers from Milwaukee and lost reliever Isaac Mattson to the Mariners. Baddoo, a lefty bat, joins the 40-man outfield mix with Ronny Simon and Tyler Callihan. Mattson's 2026 ERA ballooned to 5.35 after a 2.45 mark in 2025.
Pirates claimed OF Akil Baddoo off waivers from Milwaukee. The lefty hit .252/.342/.469 with 11 homers in 64 games for Triple-A Nashville but never reached the Brewers' big-league roster. Mitch Keller and Endy Rodríguez also came off the 60-day IL. 🔄
The Pirates released seven Dominican Summer League pitchers, so "major shakeup" oversells it. Mejia, Vega, Aponte, Reyes, Paulino, Sequera and Torres never got past the complex level, and control was a recurring issue. Vega walked 49 and struck out 39. 🧹
The Pirates reportedly extended Brandon Lowe the $23.15M qualifying offer for 2027, though the club hasn't announced it. He posted 35 homers, 96 RBIs and 5.4 WAR, plus a Gold Glove finalist nod, as Pittsburgh won 82 games. Quite the debut résumé. ⚾
Transaction Alert: Seattle Mariners claimed RHP Isaac Mattson off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. 📋
Pirates lose more bullpen depth: RHP Isaac Mattson was claimed off waivers by the Mariners. He posted a 5.35 ERA over 38 appearances in 2026, down from 2.45 in 2025. With Gregory Soto's free agency looming, 2027 bullpen questions pile up. 🔧
The Mariners claimed reliever Isaac Mattson off waivers from the Pirates. After a 2.45 ERA over 44 appearances in 2025, he slid to 5.35 over 38 in 2026 and ended the year on the IL with a hip impingement. Seattle gets a rebound project. 🔄
MLB Trade Rumors (Pirates): Mariners To Claim Isaac Mattson
Isaac Paredes looks like the right-handed third base bat the Pirates want, but a hypothetical trade with Houston carries a steep cost: a projected $15M arbitration salary and a likely prospect price. The article argues a deal would be a mistake.
Paul Skenes wrapped his second straight USO tour, visiting Misawa, Yokosuka and Yokota in Japan with Livvy Dunne. Baseball clinics, base galley meals and a reunion with a former Air Force teammate followed. The USO says he's "present" and "genuine." ⚾
Tsung-Che Cheng, DFA'd by Pittsburgh to make room for Brandon Lowe, was traded from Boston to Detroit for cash, his sixth org in under a year. Lowe's 35 homers set a Pirates record, yet the second base question could resurface. 🔄
Free agency opens Monday at 5 p.m. ET, and Brandon Lowe (35 HR, 96 RBI, Gold Glove finalist) is the Pirates' top priority to re-sign. If he prices himself out, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Gleyber Torres are possible fallbacks. 🔍
The Brewers' five-game World Series win leaves Pittsburgh a short runway: with the CBA expiring Dec. 1, signings and trades would freeze. Ben Cherington's Pirates face a compressed, pivotal offseason, and a lockout could stretch well past that deadline. ⏳
Follow your team, join the conversation, and never miss a moment.
