Pirates Likely Not Making Big Free Agent Splash

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have a crucial offseason ahead of them heading into 2026, but it's unlikely much will change from previous years.

Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette spoke on 93.7 The Fan about the Pirates offseason and said that he thinks the Pirates won't make a long-term free agent signing, despite the fact that they should.

He also thinks they'll likely use trades, with veteran starting pitcher Mitch Keller and other young pitchers, to bolster their offense/team overall.

“I’ve been burned by this before, I’m going to go with no," Mackey said. "Although, I should be wrong. They should. It is long overdue. They need to make that statement, if you’re not going to change anything else."

“I’m just going to go with no, because it has been so hard for them to line up on the appropriate free agent. Not to say that they won’t try, I’ve just started looking more at trades and trading Keller or young pitching, or whatever than getting somebody to come in here for multiple years.”

The Pirates haven't made a multi-year free agent signing since they signed right-handed starting pitcher Iván Nova for three years, $26 million on Dec. 27, 2016. They also haven't signed a position player to a multi-year contract since they signed John Jaso on a two-year, $8 million deal on Dec. 23, 2015.

Pittsburgh has notoriously had one of the lowest payrolls in baseball under owner Bob Nutting, who took over as the sixth owner in franchise history on Jan. 12, 2007.

This includes starting the 2025 season with a payroll of of $89,975,500, per Cot's Contracts, which was $20 million lower than their next National League Central opponent in the Milwaukee Brewers at $109,141,136.

It was the fourth lowest in the MLB, with only the Miami Marlins at $68.9 million, Chicago White Sox at $74 million, the Athletics at $78.2 million and the Tampa Bay Rays at $82.9 million ranking lower than the Pirates.

The Pirates finished 71-91 overall in 2025, last in the National League Central Division and with the fifth worst record in baseball.

Pittsburgh hasn't seen much winning baseball under Nutting's tenure, with a 1354-1619 (.455) record in 19 seasons, just three playoff appearances from 2013-15 and four winning seasons total.