THE ALEX STUMPF SHOW! PIRATES IN ON SCHWARBER AND MORE?!?

THE ALEX STUMPF SHOW! PIRATES IN ON SCHWARBER AND MORE?!?

Episode 240. Today we are joined by MLB.com’s Alex Stump to talk offseason pirates, the recent DFA moves, protected players from the rule five draft, and much much more. You’re listening to the Bucko Banter podcast brought to you by the Just Baseball Media Network. Cue the music. She compliment my taste in my lemonade cuz I like the way it tastes. Best seats at the game. Let me run the base. Yeah, my time is like my money cuz I can’t afford a waste. Uh wifey is a lawyer. Take my date to my dates or the stick by the plates and case after case run my race at my pace. Clear the grass. Welcome back to another episode of Bucko Banner. Today we are joined by chairman of the board of blue sky LLC and MLB.com reporter Alex Stump. Alex, welcome back, man. Good to be back. We’re off to a hot start, man. Yeah, I was gonna say like I’ve got no comeback to the blue sky. I’m I’m without speech. Wow. That’s okay. That’s okay. Well, you know what? We know Jim Rosati’s off at Twitter, so he might be joining you here shortly on the Blue Sky verse. But uh Alex, we’re excited to have you on here for the next uh you know, few months in this off season uh every other week like we had with Noah last year. You’re you’re our favorite anyways, so looking forward to it. Um, there’s a lot to talk about and I just want to get one thing out of the way first. There’s a lot of news that came out recently. We’ll just dive right in about the Pirates willing to spend this off season and there’s obviously a lot of skepticism in Pittsburgh. Robert Murray posted today, I think it was today, said that they’re going to shop in a different aisle this year, this off season. How much truth do you think there is to this to these spending rumors? I mean, they have money to spend. Like even if you just took it take a look at they traded Hayes and Bener at the deadline and part of the reason, you know, giving was we’re going to have this financial flexibility. You take away, you know, Heene and Cut and FAM’s money, you know, and those guys on top of it and it’s like, yeah, 30 to 40 million seems like kind of what they need to spend to get back to next year. So, they have some money to spend. right there. Uh I think it’s interesting that they took a big swing at like a Josh Naylor according to Jeff Passan, especially since whenever I look at this team, I’m like, well, first base is probably like the one position that feel kind of all right with this lineup at the moment. Uh but yeah, I mean it’s I I think it is a good sign that they’re kicking the tires on a Kyle Schwarber. I I think Schwarber he would basically be that entire budget unless they go over you know that original plan but like he is the big power bat. He is the culture setter. He is the leader for the hitters that all those things that this team needs. So I look at guys like him and uh Suarez is like yeah spend swing for the fences see what those guys want. I don’t know if, you know, it’s really feasible because, you know, Dumbrossski and Middleton are two people who are like, “Yeah, we’ll just tack on an extra year or an extra 15 million onto this contract to get it done.” So, I it is swinging for the fences. But, you know what? Those are the type of swings you need to be taken right now. It’s fun to dream about because giving a DH that type of contract would be ludicrous for the Pirates. I mean, let alone just giving out that contract alone. But you talk about like Suarez and that actually fills a need at third base, but then you have the age concerns and like he didn’t have the greatest second half of the season. Doesn’t really play a great third base, but definitely provides the slugging. Is do you have a feel that it’s like, hey, we’re going to maybe go out and shop in a different aisle, pay somebody, get a multi-year deal, and then fill in the rest via trade. I mean, that could be very possible. I mean, let’s be real here. They need to get at the barest of minimums, another corner outfielder, and someone to play on that left side of the infield. So, like, you could take a big swing right there and then just kind of find a way to figure it out whether it’s, okay, our opening day left side of the infield is Jared at third base and Connor Griffin at shortstop. You’re like, well, okay, but we got Kyle Schwarber, so like that’s worth not going after a couple of these guys. I think there’s a case to be made that one Kyle Schwarber is worth a whole lot more than like three or four like Michael Conforto or that tier free agent, you know, that used to be like kind of the ceiling of where they used to be. Again, this is I I am admittedly skeptical sure that they’re going to be able to get something like this. I think the they would have a better chance of making an impact acquisition through trade just because they have so much pitching available. But like I said before, they should be looking at these opportunities right now. Since we’re on the topic, I mean, there’s a lot to talk about, but Josh Naylor, the rumor there that they were willing to go, I think close to 80 million for him. Um, and I don’t think, and I think that was reported by his agent, I don’t think he has a reason to make that up. Uh, you know, I don’t think that’s necessarily gaslighting us just for no reason. I I think there’s obviously some truth to that, right? Um, but I guess my question is like you said that’s a position that we don’t necessarily need. Would the plan be to move Spencer Horitz to second base? You got a you would have a lefty prominent, you know, that uh left side or right side of the infield there. Also, is it not necessarily based on need, but just offensive need, not positional need that they would go after a Naylor? Because I think every team that he’s been on, for the most part, he’s been a spark player. and they see a guy like that and say, “Hey, we can bring a guy on like this and figure out the rest afterwards.” Yeah. And I I I want to I know I touched on a second ago. This team needs not only a hitter, you know, who could deepen the lineup and, you know, provide power or whatever. They also need a leader on offense. It’s something I’ve heard from a lot of people like in the organization. Like Paul SK sets the pace for the pitchers. He is there. People are begging to work out with him in the off season. like it is everything you want on the pitching side. Like uh Dennis Santana really took the lead for a lot of the Latin players. They really don’t have that type of guy on the hitting side. They need that type of guy. So like a Josh Naylor would fit that bill. Like he is someone that they had inquired about in in previous years whenever he was still with the Guardians. Uh someone that would check those boxes. I don’t think Spencer Horwitz, going back to the original question, I don’t think he’s an everyday second base option. That’s exactly that’s what I was getting at, I guess. Yeah. Yeah. Because if he was, I don’t think the Blue Jays acquire Gimenez or or trade him last year. Like it’s he could fill in there. He is a utilityish infielder, but first base is where he’s best suited. Uh having him play 150 games at short or at second base, I think would be pretty rough right there. So again, DH could be open if if they don’t bring back Cutch. So there are other opportunities to make this work in different ways. Uh I think it was more just looking for this is a really good hitter. We should make an offer because he can help set the culture that we need. Well, we talk about getting creative and and bringing guys in via trade. The first big trade of the off season went down last night and it’s somebody who all Pirates fans just love for whatever reason for the past couple of years. Taylor Ward was finally traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Grayson Rodriguez, which is kind of shocking. And like I get Ward had a great year power power-wise. Like the average is he’s hitting like 220, 230, but he put what 35 bombs, something like that. Grayson Rodriguez hasn’t pitched since like early 2024. He his arm seems to fall off every single year. If not, he is a frontline ace, but there’s a huge if there. How do you see the value in that trade? And then how does that affect like a a Mitch Keller trade? Like what do you see the return being for a guy like Keller when this is what’s kicking off the off season? Yeah, I was a little interested that uh Baltimore is willing to trade pitching because I always thought Baltimore would be a very logical spot for Mitch Keller this off season. Baltimore has been in love with Mitch Keller ever since he showed up in 2023 and shoved it down their throats that one day. So, I thought they would be a logical, you know, spot. They’ve got some expendable young hitters that would seem to fit the Pirates profile pretty well. So, it’s it’s an interesting trade for me because like you said, Grayson Rodriguez has this, you know, high upside. Uh, but I guess they’re just going for someone a little more stable right now for that spot, which Mitch Keller is. He is going to give you those 30some starts every single year. So, I would look at that as like not an indicator of like Baltimore has oh so much pitching that they could afford to trade one as much as they really like Taylor Ward and they’re still going to be looking for front of the rotation type guys where you know Mitch Keller could slide in I think pretty well as like a two there. I guess my my concern is before like last year going into the 2025 season or even the year before that when we’re talking about p trading pitching to the Orioles in return for bats that hasn’t aged well in terms of like how those bats have developed like before we were on the Hen Kerstead train uh you know I’m just going to throw names out there even like Jackson Holiday hasn’t really performed Adley Rutman has declined uh Kobe Mayo so like Where where do you see a marriage there and what return would you like? Because at the end of the day then it’s like we’re just hoping for bounceback years at this point rather than getting an everyday consistent starter for somebody who’s super valuable to this team. Yeah. And like a that is the whole argument of not trading Mitch Keller. you just said right there. Like look, if you’re going to get 30 something starts of a low four erra, like that is great, especially whenever this is a young rotation that doesn’t have a lot of guys that have gone, you know, 140 innings as in a season. But if you do have to trade them, I would look at like a a rutman like that. I think that would be the trade I made make straight up of like just answer catcher right there. You know, Henry, Andy, those type of guys. If they can prove something great, you know, have something there. I’ll just buy the buyback there. I have a hard time, you know, swinging for the fences with like a a Kursider or Mayo who were who would be cheaper and, you know, potentially offer this great upside, but like you said, haven’t done a whole lot in the major leagues right now and you know, candidly, why would Baltimore be trading for Taylor Ward if they, you know, had these guys? It’s not exactly a log jam here. So yeah, I can’t do a straight up one for one like Keller Fo at this point. Oh yeah, same. I I I think what confused me the most is I feel like Taylor Ward and Tyler O’Neal’s profiles aren’t all that dissimilar, you know? So, um and then I feel like it speaks volumes on what they feel about some of their young bats. So, um yeah, I I I think Rutman is a guy that I would focus on because I think catcher is a position that they’re absolutely going to bring someone in this off seasonason. It seems like that at least. And I I I’m looking at a lot of the veteran catchers. Like we’ve heard the name JT Realmuto. That would be a sexy signing. A veteran catcher with this young staff or like a Danny Jansen or even an Adie Rushman who’s got years of control and he’s younger, but he’s he can uh you know manage a staff. That would be really that would be a really really good uh pickup for them. But back to Mitch Keller, what if you had to put a number on it? What are the chances that he’s moved this off season? I hi I’ll give myself some wiggle room and be like 8020 but like I I think it is more likely that he gets traded but you know a lot of things could happen like you know that 30 to 40 million I don’t know how much of that is contingent on will they trade Mitch Keller like if they do is that another 15-ish million that they could spend or is it if you keep Mitch Keller you have 15 million less to spend out of that 30 to 40 million that, you know, Mark Feinstein reported. So, I I like Mitch. I think he does a great thing, you know, for this organization, for the culture. Uh I think it’s a team that is better with him than without, you know, Mitch Keller. I I just think the need for hitters is going to ultimately, you know, result in some sort of trade. And you know what, Grayson Rodriguez, even though he has upside, was just traded for a guy who hit 35 home runs, and Grayson didn’t throw a pitch this last year. So, I I think that shows that there is a pretty good market for pitching right now. Do you have any guys out there that you’d like to see them trade for in terms of bats, either in a Mitch Keller deal or something else that we’re not thinking about? Uh, I mean, I I’ve really focused more on like the free agent market. I I know uh the Phillies Sosa, someone that they’ve inquired about, you know, for a couple years. I I could see that being a good fit for the Pirates, someone who could play shortstop third base. And if Connor Griffin shows up, you know, either start of the year or mid-season, you can move him to a utility type role or, you know, or a starting role if uh Jared Triolo doesn’t pan out or it doesn’t have, you know, doesn’t build off of what he did at the end of last year. So, I I’m looking more that type of way. I I’m looking more at free agency, I think, right now for this offense, and I think you have to at this point in the offseason. I’m looking at Sosa’s baseball ref right now. I’m pretty sure he would have had the highest or the second highest OPS on this team this year. 17. Yeah. Oh man. Well, I didn’t even hear the number. I just I was just Exactly. Um, Alex, I want to uh take it back a little bit and talk about some of the coaching hires before we get into the role five and and the deadlines that are coming up in terms of the roster. Um they brought in Chris Christopher Negron who’s a younger uh coach up and cominging coach who was a utility man from 2012 to 2019 I believe played for the Reds Mariners was recently on the Mariners staff has some managing experience at Triple A. Um they bring in Bill Murphy as the pitching coach. What are your what are you hearing about these coaching hires and is it has Donnie hit it out of the park? I mean, Skins talked briefly about Murphy on the night he won the Sai Young and gave a very glowing review of the type of hire. Uh, like I said last time I was on here that the Oscar uh, Marine dismissal was in part because players felt they could reach another gear and this is a guy who came in like, “Yeah, I want that challenge. I think you guys do have that extra gear. Let’s find it.” So, I think that’s a really good, you know, first indicator. Like I I’m going to preface also, I haven’t talked to any of these guys yet, so everything I’m getting is, you know, secondhand. Uh, Negron, like you said, a riser, you know, in baseball. I kind of see some Don Kelly like whenever the Pirates hired him in 2019 like a longtime utility man had to grind for the opportunities that he had as a player and went into player development and coaching you know afterwards. So, like those are the type of backgrounds that we’ve seen the Pirates, you know, have success with with their coaching hires. And then, uh, Beasley, you know, one, yeah, this is his second, third tour with the Pirates, but someone who is wellliked. Everyone I’ve reached out to, you know, like on on the Texas side, uh, or who has ever worked with him just adores this guy. So, like it it seems like a good guy to add to the room just in general. So that’s a more veteran guy compared to these two younger type coaches who are going to probably bring more ideas than or or more new way of thinking that I think the organization needs to you know embrace. So I I think it’s a good start to the coaching uh and it’s the main part of the coaching thing. They might hire one or two more guys in support roles but this is basically what they’ve been building towards. Let’s uh transition to the rule five draft because there were some names there that surprised some people. Uh obviously they were going to keep as Merlin Valdez after the year that he had in the fall. Brandon Bidwis was a name where we thought there’s no way he could be left off the list, but then you kind of look at the other names and you’re like, h maybe they they work out a trade or he’s just the odd man out. So just so we have the list here. Bedois, Valdez, Brangan, Sim Diego, Wilbur Dotell, and Antoine Kelly. When we talked to you prior to this episode, you said Antoine Kelly was pretty much a slam dunk to be protected. Why? Why Antoine Kelly? I know he had a great year. Uh he throws gas, he has starting potential, but why was he the guy where they’re like, we have to protect him? I mean, just from what I gathered, you know, beforehand, he hits 100 and he’s got some pretty nasty stuff right out of the bullpen. Or he could play out of the bullpen by mistake. He is a starter right now. I kind of view him as a as a reliever long term. But I think it’s like closer type stuff if they do move him into that type of role. Like he took a huge step this last year. I talked to him in Altuna. didn’t write the story and I kind of regretted not writing the story, but you know whenever it just doesn’t come together for like a month, you sometimes fruit dies on the vine. And he’s telling me how this past winter was the first time he didn’t go home to the Bahamas. He he stayed in uh Florida and he really dove into like body movement and you know trying to unlock some stuff and then he’s hitting 100 for the first time. like he found an extra 3 miles per hour by doing that. So like he just took a major leap this last year. I think there is some more ceiling for him too. Uh but he’s just one of those guys that would absolutely be easy to stash into a a Chicago White Sox bullpen in the rule five draft. he would absolutely be taken and I think the upside is high enough that uh he’d be that he would be that you have to protect him because candidly out of all the guys I saw Pirates prospectwise in person this year I think he might have been the best like I I I didn’t see Bubba in person you know this year in the minors. So like I think Antoine Kelly had the best stuff I saw. Interesting. Okay. I I mean we love Antoine Kelly. had him on the show and I think he mentioned to us about staying in Florida last off season and and really putting in the work. So, I’m really happy for him. Great kid. Um I before the deadline to protect guys from the Roll Five draft, they had a 38 man roster. So, they had two spots open. I didn’t see them protecting six to be honest with you. Same. Were you surprised by that? And the two guys that they left unprotected, notable guys, Anthony Solomedo and Omar Alfonso, do you think that they are at risk of getting picked up? I don’t think they’re at much risk. Like I I like Alfonso. He hits the ball hard. I think he has the potential to be a big league catcher, but he did not hit double A pitching. So I don’t see how you stash him up on a major league roster this year. and Solom’s coming back from the shoulder surgery or shoulder injury and I did not have a good 2024 as is. So like I I have a hard time seeing someone, you know, dashing him. It’s not like he’s hitting 95. He’s hitting 91 or was before the injury. So I don’t think he would really play well as a Lugi out of the bullpen, but maybe he would be taken. Uh yeah, I did not see six guys being taken. And I think Brangan was the one that surprised me the most because he was coming off of the shoulder surgery. Yeah, labum like like a pretty serious shoulder surgery for someone who had a decent year in Altuna, but you know, whenever that shoulder started, you know, messing with him, he faltered and then spent the rest of the year on Iel. So, I I did not really see him being selected, but they’ve been high on him for a while. So, and they didn’t want to risk it. So, do you think that’s a product of maybe just realizing you don’t have a lot of upper level bats and he’s probably at the top of that list and losing him is kind of just like we don’t have anyone else there. Yeah, but you also just added Valdez who emerged this year like he wasn’t a top 30 guy coming into the year. You also got Connor Griffin who is going to reach the major leagues before Jack Brandan. Sure. and if you were trying to improve this team and you’re willing to offer multi-year contracts to do it, the left side of the infield would be a really good spot to do it. So, like again, I I’m not knocking the move. I’m just surprised by it. I didn’t see how, you know, Jack Brandan is going to fit into the 2026, 2027 parts if they do what they want to do in free agency or through trade. you know, acquire a guy on the left side of the infield who is going to be here for years. Like Connor Griffin’s going to have shortstop locked down and and maybe Jared Triolo, you know, does show that, you know, what we saw the last couple months is for real and he could be an average hitter at a Gold Glove caliber third baseman. Uh so interesting. I I think I would have risked it. Uh because 15% of the roster just became guys that you protected from the rule five draft. That is a lot. I mean, hey, if if he can’t figure out uh you know, uh hitting at the major league level, the guy’s got freakish tools. He kind of gives me Stson Ali vibes. Uh where he’s got a crazy arm, he’s got power speed, but like it’s is he going to make enough contact? That’s going to be the big big question there. So, um we’ll see. But, um stuff, we’ve got the 21st, I believe. We have the uh deadline, the non-tender deadline. Do we anticipate anybody on this current roster being non-endered? And if so, just to clarify for the audience that doesn’t know all the rules and whatnot, if a guy is non-endered, that roster spot is left open. Correct. Yes. Yeah. They have 40. At this at the moment of recording, their roster is at 40 players. So, you can non-tender guys on the on the 21st and they’re just off of the roster. You don’t have to worry about dfaing them and if they don’t get claimed, you outright them and you’re still paying them a salary and anything like that. This is just a chance to make a clean uh cutting of ties. I do anticipate that they are going to make at least one transaction on on that day. Uh for this sake of the player, I’m not gonna speculate on any names, but I I think we could all hazard a couple guesses on who would be a candidate there. Uh yeah. Yeah, he’s he’s really hanging on right now. He finished sixth in the MVP. Like that’s I’ll say the name Stump. You don’t have to say it. There are five guys better than him in the MVP ballot. I don’t know how you keep him on the roster after that. But yeah, uh yeah, so there are going to be some moves right there. This past deadline was to just protect guys from the role five drafts and we had a couple moves that went along with it, you know, Moretta and Holderman, Ronnie Simon and Canario. But uh this is kind of like the last one where guys who have some level of prominence are going to be let go leaguewide. I understand the holderman move. I think he just needs it needs a change of scenery. Like something just was not clicking. He we know he has the stuff. He had all-star potential and then it just kind of whether it was like minor injuries or just something mental like it just wasn’t happening in Pittsburgh. So, I’m happy he’s probably going to get another opportunity somewhere else uh and pick his career back up. But Moretta kind of surprised me. I didn’t really picture that name and a lot of people didn’t picture that name. Came back, looked good enough off of Tommy John’s surgery. I know he didn’t get that much time, but did you see that move coming? Are you surprised by that? I I I admit I was a little surprised, but I I think I even threw out like in a newsletter like, “Yeah, but could be let go.” You know, he was like in that kind of tier of player. Uh they viewed him as an updown reliever who is now out of minor league options. And with all the guys that they just added to the bullpen mix, you know, Kelly, if he does go into the bullpen, I’m speculating right now. I’m sure they’re going to give him more leash as a starter first. Uh but you know, San Diego and Bidwis and and Harbon, you know, all those guys that you just added to the bullpen who are up down guys. That kind of fills that that quota. Like I I’ve heard analytics people say like this guy, it’s ridiculous that he’s throwing so many same side uh sliders, you know, in like that’s just a recipe for disaster. But, you know, it works. But I could see how modeling wise people are like, “No, that’s not sustainable.” Stump. Do you think they’re going to go after any high leverage arms this off season in terms of free agency or via trade? like how much how active do you think they’re going to be on the pitching market? I think they have to explore it. Like Dennis Santana is if he’s the closer next year, fine. Like I I think he would be somewhere in that like 12 to 20 range of major league closers, which is fine. But how are you getting to him? Because I really like Isaac Maxon. I think he’s a great story. He’s also was a non-roster invite last year. I can’t have him be my only other, you know, consistent leverage arm here. So, either through free agency or trade, I think you need to add at least another setup uh level quality guy to this group. Well, just to make some breaking news here, uh Rayo Glacius just resigned with the Braves, so he’s off the list, unfortunately. Tim Ma is still out there. Ah, Tim Maz is still out there. There we go. There we go. Bring back a little reunion. I’m looking at the relief pitchers. I mean, the market’s always weird with that. I mean, there’s no I I couldn’t see them. I could see them going after some of these guys just like they did with with Chapman or I could see them going after somebody I have no idea and and throwing him in that leverage role. But the bullpin I try not to focus on too much because it’s so like you mentioned up and down and and fluid. Um I think that was a good conversation for today because we’re going to have a lot more to talk about for this off season. Hopefully some free agent signings. I mean, they’re definitely going to bring in Schwber. We know that now. Uh, yeah. And Murami, hold on. Mammi. Murami, too. Uh, the sources inside my head are saying Bob Bashette. And, uh, you know, I think the list is just endless. Kettle Marte trade. Kettle Marte. We’re going to do Keller for Marte straight up. They’re not going to ask for anything else there. Years of control. And then I think the Orioles are just going to give us Adley Rutman as kind of just like a an offering, right? So, I just fixed the Pittsburgh Pirates right there. If I learned anything from this episode, that’s exactly what we just discussed. If you want to just summarize everything here, that’s everything that just happened. You’re welcome. This is the Alex Stump Show. That’s what you’re going to get here. All right. This is fun though. Not going to lie. Like I’m in all seriousness, I know we’re joking around, but to just have some of these things put out there that the Pirates are are active and and want willing to spend uh some money and whether that’s after, you know, they get back to this year’s level after trading Mitch Keller, you know, and then add maybe 5 to 10 million, whatever. But they’re going to be active. I think it gives us a lot to talk about uh compared to last year where I think our first signing was mid December or something like that. So, let me let me end on this real quick. Ben Ben Cherington said, you know, past couple years they’re trying to give a multi-year deal, right? And I think he recently just said it like, “Hey, we’re trying.” And based on recent news, we know that they are trying and them putting themselves out there and they might have to do a little bit extra to bring somebody to Pittsburgh given the history in the past couple of years. Alex, my question to you is what is the pitch that the Pirates should be going with in order to bring in a multi-year free agent? Like, how do they attract him? Sure, you you got the best pitching in baseball. Just go with that best starting rotation. We got the best pitcher on the planet. Uh Bubba Chandler is the top he’s going to win rookie of the year. I mean, this is their pitch, so you know, they’re gonna, you know, best case scenario. Jared Jones is coming back. We got another top 100 guy in Hunter Barco. Johan Ovo, Braxton Ashcraft, Mike Burroughs. It’s the best pitching you’re going to find here. Uh, you could be the guy who sets the pace on hitting. Like, you could be that type of face right there. Everybody, there are worse pitches to make than be the hero, right? And with that said, Alex Stump is now our new GM. Great pitch, Alex. Thank you. Um, I I love that. No. Um, in all seriousness, um, I’m excited to, uh, continue talking offseason with you, Alex. And, uh, I’m sure we’ll have a lot leading up to the winter meetings to talk about. Uh, we’ll probably have to break the Schwarber news, jump on a recording real quick, and and talk about his signing, but uh, until then, man. Um, you know, let’s save some some conversation for the next episode. [Music] just like my money cuz I can’t afford to waste. Uh wifey is a lawyer. Take my date to my dates or the stick by the plates and

🎙️ THE ALEX STUMPF SHOW — EPISODE 1 | Pittsburgh Pirates Offseason Rumors, Kyle Schwarber Buzz, Rule 5 Draft Moves & Don Kelly’s Staff Review

Welcome to the first-ever episode of The Alex Stumpf Show, our brand-new every-other-Thursday podcast series featuring MLB.com’s Pittsburgh Pirates beat writer, Alex Stumpf! If you’re a Pirates fan, an MLB news junkie, or someone who wants insider-level analysis straight from the source, this episode is PACKED.

In Episode 1, we break down the biggest storylines of the Pirates’ offseason, including new spending rumors, potential free-agent targets, and what these moves could mean for the franchise moving forward.

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE:
⚾ Pirates Rumored to Spend Money This Offseason
Alex Stumpf shares insight into the growing buzz that the Pittsburgh Pirates may finally open the checkbook this winter. We talk about what “spending” might realistically mean, who the team could target, and how this would signal a shift in roster-building strategy.

👀 Kyle Schwarber to the Pirates?
We dive into the rumor that Kyle Schwarber could be a potential free-agent signing for Pittsburgh.
• Would Schwarber fit the lineup?
• Does his power bat fill a major need?
• How realistic is this scenario?
Alex gives his insider perspective using his day-to-day coverage of the club.

🧢 Prospects Protected from the Rule 5 Draft
The Pirates recently finalized which minor leaguers were added to the 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 Draft.
We discuss:
• Who was protected and why
• Which moves were surprising
• What this says about the Pirates’ long-term pipeline strategy
• Potential prospects at risk of being selected by other teams

🧠 Don Kelly’s Coaching Staff Evaluation
We close with a conversation about Don Kelly and how his coaching staff has performed.
Alex gives an honest, informed assessment of:
• Player development under Kelly
• Coaching strengths and weaknesses
• How staff decisions could impact 2025

📌 WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH
If you want smart Pirates analysis, credible reporting, offseason predictions, and deep baseball conversations, this is the show you should lock into. Alex Stumpf brings journalistic expertise, insider knowledge, and a grounded perspective you won’t get anywhere else.
This is just Episode 1 — and we’ll be back every other Thursday with more Pirates coverage all year long.

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