Pirates Mock Trade to Bolster the Bullpen

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen has certainly had its moments, both good and bad, to start the year. However, it may need a facelift sooner rather than later. Justin Lawrence hasn’t been nearly as reliable this year compared to last year, Hunter Barco hasn’t had a strong start, and Jose Uqruidy has not looked sharp in his first few games. It’s still early, but the Pirates could make an early-season trade to get some added depth. They could move catcher Joey Bart to get another reliever, and the San Diego Padres stand out as a potential trade target in a Joey Bart swap. This mock trade would solve issues for both teams.

Pirates Mock Trade to Bolster the Bullpen

Pirates acquire: LHP Yuki Matsui

The Padres signed left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui out of Japan during the 2023-2024 offseason. Matsui had become one of NPB’s most dominant relief arms. Since arriving in the United States, the veteran left-hander has put up a 3.86 ERA, 4.40 FIP, and 1.26 WHIP over 126 innings of work. Matsui has struck out 24.6% of opponents, albeit with an unimpressive 11.3% walk rate. He has also been prone to home runs, with a 1.29 HR/9 ratio.

While Matsui’s bottom line is not that impressive, he has shown flashes of more in the tank in MLB. His FanGraphs Stuff+ comes in at 102. He only sits around 92-93 MPH with his fastball, but throws the pitch with nearly 20 inches of induced vertical break. He also isn’t far removed from a very promising 2024 rookie season. Matsui had a solid 63rd percentile chase rate (29.4%) and an 84th percentile whiff rate (30.3%). However, he was in the 90th percentile of both stats in 2024, at 33% and 31.9%, respectively. That wasn’t the only statistic he was in the 90th percentile of in 2024. His 2.94 xERA and .201 xBA were both in the same percentile.

Most of Matsui’s struggles came last year, when his K% fell from 26.8% to 22.4%, and his walk rate rose from 10.5% to 12.1%. He also became far more prone to quality contact, with a 9%-barrel rate, compared to only 6.8% in 2024. Matsui is controlled through the 2028 season. He is owed only $6.5 million in 2027, then $7 million in 2028. That would give the Pirates a multi-year option for their bullpen. Matsui is currently on the 15-day IL with a groin strain suffered during the World Baseball Classic. However, he began his rehab and is currently at the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate.

Padres acquire: C Joey Bart.

The San Francisco Giants originally selected Joey Bart in the 2018 draft. He was the second overall pick but didn’t develop as hoped. Bart was then designated for assignment in late March 2024 and acquired by the Pirates soon after. Bart provided a spark to the Bucs’ lineup, batting .265/.337/.465 while crushing 13 home runs over 282 plate appearances. Neither his 7.8% walk rate nor his 25.8% strikeout rate stands out, but he was an overall above-average producer. Bart ended 2024 with a .347 wOBA and 121 wRC+.

Unfortunately, Bart wasn’t able to follow that up with an equally strong encore. The backstop only hit .249/.355/.340 with a .317 wOBA, and 101 wRC+. Bart’s K% rose to 28%, though his walk rate went in the right direction, up to 12%. Bart struggled badly in the power department, with only four home runs in 332 plate appearances. His isolated slugging percentage fell from .198 in 2024 to just .091 in 2025, a massive 107-point drop.

Bart’s drop in power would be tolerable if his defense were good behind the plate. Since joining the Pirates, Bart has -11 defensive runs saved and -4.4 framing runs. He has also allowed nine passed balls in 1255 innings, with -8 blocks above average. For what it’s worth, Bart improved his framing from -3.5 runs in 2024 to only -0.8 in 2025. Despite Bart’s struggles with the Pirates last year and his cold start this year, he is still an above-average hitter with a 106 wRC+. His wRC+ since 2024 is the 12th best among catchers with 600+ plate appearances. Bart still has control through 2027. The Bucs were also looking to move Bart late into the offseason.

How both teams benefit

The Pirates benefit by acquiring a left-handed reliever they can slot into their bullpen right now. The biggest downside is that Matsui has yet to see regular playing time in a high-leverage role. However, given that he saved 236 games in Japan and the Pirates’ pitching development, Matsui would have a strong opportunity to become a higher-leverage bullpen arm. He certainly has stuff the Pirates can work with. With their current bullpen struggles, having a former high-end reliever (even if it was in Japan) could help them significantly.

Meanwhile, Bart provides some much-needed catching depth for the Padres. Their current backstops on the 26-man roster include former top prospect Luis Campusano and 2025 trade deadline acquisition Freddy Fermin. Fermin isn’t off to a strong start, and Campusano has struggled mightily behind the dish when it comes to defense. He has also had his fair share of struggles in the batter’s box since reaching the big leagues. The Padres also shed some salary by trading Matsui for Bart.

The Pirates need to make a trade to get some relief help. Bart can be replaced by Endy Rodriguez and Rafael Flores Jr. Meanwhile, the Padres have a very deep bullpen and can move Matsui without worrying about their overall depth. They also get a catcher who has been an above-average hitter over the last few seasons.