Grading the Pirates 2026 Offseason

Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word

Before I get to my analysis, which I’m sure you’re awaiting with bated breath, I must apologize to Cherington. Last season, I gave him a brutal grade with my trade deadline report card. The expectation was that he’d use the opportunity to acquire some major league hitters. Instead, he dumped payroll in exchange for more prospects, as part of a purported grand plan to use the savings to add some hitters in the offseason. I was skeptical, as he’d just completed the sixth year of a five-year plan and hadn’t shown that he could bring good hitters to the Pirates. I try to understand that a GM sees a bigger picture than most fans, but in this case, I was doubtful that there was a bigger picture to see, or even that Cherington would be around to execute his plan. But I was wrong on all counts.

Bats, Bats, and More Bats

That was Cherington’s marching orders for this offseason: Add bats to an anemic offense that ranked at or near the bottom of every important category and at or near the top for every undesirable category. He has succeeded here, especially with adding some left-handed bats for a ballpark that favors left-handed hitters. Lowe hit 31 home runs in 2025 and has hit as many as 39 in a season. He’ll feel like he’d died and gone to heaven, aiming for the Clemente Wall. So will O’Hearn, the other lefty power bat acquired. He’s simply a good all-around hitter with nearly equal platoon splits and one of only five major league hitters to hit at least .280 with 17 homers.

Meanwhile, Ozuna gives them a solid right-handed bat to balance out the lineup. He may not have been the Pirates’ first choice, and the Pirates may not have been his first choice, but if he hits, nobody will care about any of that. His addition to the lineup moves O’Hearn to the outfield, where he’s not considered a strong defender. That will be something to watch.

Mangum gives them a much-needed contact hitter with speed. “The Password” García doesn’t have much of a chance to make the team due to the addition of Ozuna. Keep an eye on him if he straightens out his issues at the plate and gets promoted to the big club at some point. Red Sox fans tell me he’s a sucker for breaking pitches. But give him a fastball, and he’ll hit it to New Brighton.

Turning a Table

To show just how markedly improved the everyday lineup will be, let’s compare my projected Opening Day lineup to last year’s Opening Day lineup:

As Robin from the old Batman TV series might say, “Holy major overhaul!”

The Left Side of the Infield

Cherington struck out in his attempts to land a third baseman for the Pirates in the offseason. As things stand now, that spot will go to Triolo, a 2024 Gold Glove Award winner who will provide solid defense there, but who’s never shown the ability to sustain his hitting for an entire season. The outfield doesn’t appear to be strong defensively, and Lowe doesn’t get high marks at second base, so having one player on the field who’s strictly a glove man may not be the worst thing.

What we haven’t heard in the rumor mill is that the Pirates are pursuing a shortstop. Cherington has stated that Griffin, baseball’s No. 1 prospect, will get the opportunity to win that spot. It seems that not only is he being given the chance, but the Pirates are laying all their eggs in his basket. If the spring training games reveal that Griffin needs more time in the minors, the Pirates’ only fallback is Gonzales. Gonzales was a shortstop at New Mexico State and has played 30 games there in the majors. He would fit as an occasional starter at shortstop, but over a long season, he may not make all the plays one would want a shortstop to make. Maybe the reason for inviting Williams to spring training was to provide extra insurance at that spot.

Pitching

The biggest addition here might be Murphy. To say the least, it was a surprise that a team that excelled in pitching and was an abysmal failure in hitting would dismiss its pitching coach and retain its hitting coach. However, Murphy comes highly regarded, and Pirates pitchers are reportedly excited to work with him.

Soto and Montgomery are hard throwers who need to harness their control. Even so, they should be an upgrade over last season’s left-handed relievers.

Cherington was rumored to be looking for a veteran starter, preferably a left-hander, to anchor the rotation. Perhaps he’ll land one this spring, or maybe that man is Urquidy, who has started and relieved in the majors. As the Pirates haven’t formally announced the Urquidy signing, it’s unknown what role they envision for him. Urquidy’s last half-decent season in the majors was 2022, when he was 13-8 with a 3.94 ERA and 1.168 WHIP with the Astros, where Murphy was his pitching coach.

The Last Word

The Pirates conclude the offseason having improved the offense tremendously at the cost of two expendable pitchers, a few million dollars, and a weakened defensive outfield. They could use one more starting pitcher, a third baseman, and perhaps a veteran shortstop to either mentor Griffin or step in for him. It’s hard to figure out what Cherington will do next, as he’s tight-lipped about such matters. That’s fine. That’s how he chooses to do business. Guessing along with him gives me material to write about and keeps me off the streets. In any event, Pittsburgh can contend for a Wild Card spot with what they have. If that comes to fruition, there’s always the trade deadline. I give Cherington an A for adding to the offense and a C for what remains undone. Overall Offseason Grade: B.