Paul Skenes earned $1.085 million in 2026, making him the lowest-paid member of the MLBPA's eight-player executive subcommittee. He's fighting a hard cap to protect a big payday, though the Pirates must still show they'll pay it. 💰
The Pirates see 2027 as their best shot to contend, but a lockout expected to begin December 1 could stall offseason moves, like the Brandon Lowe decision and rotation fixes, or even threaten the season. The salary cap remains the sticking point. ⏳
Easton Carmichael ranks No. 7 on PBN's Pirates prospect list. The catcher hit .305 with 16 homers at Greensboro, then slipped to .244 after the Altoona promotion. Improving there is the key for 2027, and he's expected to stay behind the plate.
A writer argues the Pirates, who lacked a lefty starter in 2026, should target Patrick Sandoval in free agency. His 5.12 ERA looks ugly, but his 3.77 FIP and solid exit-velocity numbers make him a possible rebound candidate for the back of the rotation. 🔍
Mitch Keller's rough 2026 (6.17 ERA from May 1 on, then an August IL stint with a right arm teres major injury) leaves the Pirates in a bind: sell low or keep paying him $18M+ in 2027. The window to sell high has closed. 📉
The MLBPA's opening CBA proposal would expand revenue sharing to guarantee small-market clubs $240M in annual revenue, but tax teams under $150M in payroll. The Pirates' record ~$102M Opening Day payroll would fall about $48M short. Bob Nutting's excuses get thinner. 📉
Second baseman Chris Rembert, the 51st pick in this year's draft out of Auburn, ranks No. 8 on PBN's Pirates prospect list. He hit .284/.415/.343 with nine steals in 18 games for Low-A Bradenton. Bat speed and plate approach lead the profile. ⚾
Pirates hit just .229/.300/.359 against lefty starters in 2026 (last in the league) and went 18-33 in those games. Oneil Cruz hit .326 against lefties after a .102 mark in 2025, and replicating that fix beyond Cruz could matter as much as any external bat. 🔧
Rays reached the World Series with 17 of 26 postseason roster players acquired via trade (31.6 regular-season WAR). The argument: Pirates GM Ben Cherington's draft-and-develop approach should also use prospect depth to acquire proven help. 🔍
The Pirates' 40-man sits at 38 and moves to 39 once Endy Rodriguez returns from the 60-day IL, so extra additions could force DFAs. Thomas Harrington, once a top-100 prospect, tops the list of former top prospects who could be on the bubble this winter.
Offseason priority: Brandon Lowe, who led the Pirates in homers and RBIs and is a Gold Glove finalist, hits free agency, and a pricey ask tests the front office. Gregory Soto (3.63 ERA) is another re-sign candidate. Kirby Yates is retiring. 💰
Brewers-Rays World Series puts Pirates' payroll excuse under scrutiny: Pittsburgh ($122.6M) sits below the proposed $171.2M floor, like Milwaukee ($130.9M) and Tampa Bay ($108.2M). Those two won 103 and 98 games; the Pirates went 82-80. 🔍
Brewers-Rays World Series, two small-market, modest-payroll clubs, offers the Pirates a blueprint: build through pitching, scouting and development. It also sets a bar they haven't cleared, with no World Series trip since 1979. ⚾
Mitch Keller's year ended early: a 5.29 ERA and a 60-day IL stint (Aug. 3) for a right teres major injury. He expects a normal offseason and a healthy 2027, though four younger, cheaper starters raise questions about his future. 🩹
Pirates prospect No. 9: 2026 second-rounder Aiden Ruiz, taken 44th, may be the best defender in his draft class. The shortstop's glove earned a 65 grade and a $3.5M bonus, over $1M above slot, to pry him from Vanderbilt. Pro debut comes next season. 🧤
The Pirates are hiring for multiple roles: Software Engineer, Product Manager – Research and Development, and Analyst – Coaching and Player Development. The tech roles build tools that feed draft, trade, in-game and player development decisions. 💻
Pirates are hiring applied biomechanists for Coaching and Player Development and the Major League staff. The role runs the biomechanics lab, with hitting as the primary focus and pitching support, turning motion-capture data into player development insight. 🔬
Paul Skenes flagged his arm slot as a career-long maintenance item back in 2025. It may now help explain his 2026 slide: a 3.82 ERA after a 1.97 Cy Young year, with his changeup going from .103 to .233 against. 🔧
Johan De Los Santos, 18, was named the Pirates' Rookie-Level Player of the Year after hitting .270 with 39 steals in 52 games, and he now ranks No. 11 on MLB Pipeline's list. With Griffin, Sanford and Ruiz also in line, shortstop is getting crowded. 🩳
Seiya Suzuki could fix the Pirates' lefty-hitting woes (.689 second-half OPS vs. southpaws) and weaken the Cubs, but he's reportedly a free-agent target only on paper. The price tag may be the real obstacle. 💰
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