We’re deep into the MLB offseason. If you haven’t been paying attention, the stove is already hot: The Los Angeles Dodgers landed star outfielder Kyle Tucker on a blockbuster deal, the New York Mets won the bidding war for infielder Bo Bichette and the Chicago Cubs found their long-term hot corner man in Alex Bregman.
Unlike recent offseasons, current headlines haven’t belonged solely to the MLB’s large-market teams. Teams like the Athletics, the Chicago White Sox and, in particular, the Pittsburgh Pirates, have been showing strong signs they have passed the nadirs of their rebuilds.
The Pirates came into the offseason with a clear area of need: offense. While the “Buccos” had top-notch pitching – ranking seventh-best in earned-run average, third in fielding-independent pitching and giving up the third-fewest home runs of any MLB team last year – Pittsburgh was dead-last in runs scored and on-base plus slugging.
With Oneil Cruz’s 20 homers leading the team and only one starter, Spencer Horwitz, notching an on-base plus slugging mark above league average, the Pirates clearly needed to add multiple big bats.
They did just that.
On Dec. 19, in a three-team trade with the Tampa Bay Rays and Houston Astros, Pittsburgh acquired All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe from the Rays.
Lowe is a serious step up from Nick Gonzales, who played the most games at second for the Pirates in 2025. Gonzales posted negative wins above replacement and a .661 on-base plus slugging. Lowe hit 31 home runs in 2025, which would have led Pittsburgh by 11, while recording a .785 on-base plus slugging.
The Pirates followed up by signing first baseman and designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn days later on Dec. 23. O’Hearn was also an All-Star last year, starting 2025 with the Baltimore Orioles and ending up a trade deadline acquisition for the San Diego Padres.
O’Hearn would have been the Pirates’ best hitter had he been on the team in 2025. Although something didn’t click in his stint in San Diego, he played himself into his first-career All-Star Game start in his last licks in Baltimore, where he posted an .837 on-base plus slugging.
O’Hearn’s deal affords the big bat two years and $29 million, setting a record for the largest free-agent contract for a non-pitcher in Pirates history, although that’s an indictment on Pittsburgh more than anything.
It was the first multi-year free agent contract Pittsburgh had given out in nearly a decade – the last being the three years and $26 million given to pitcher Iván Nova back in 2016.
O’Hearn said the Pirates are “one or two pieces away from being a legit contender.”
Pittsburgh has expressed interest in 2025 All-Star third baseman Eugenio Suárez, even if a deal is viewed as somewhat unlikely. According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Suárez hit a whopping 49 home runs and had an .824 on-base plus slugging in 2025.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have now acquired two reigning All-Stars and are attempting to sign a third. I can’t remember the last time that sentence applied to an offseason in Pittsburgh, if it ever has.
This is not a team stacking up young prospects to build for a future five years from now. Lowe and O’Hearn are entering their age-31 and age-32 seasons and are under one and two years of team control respectively. 12-year veteran Suárez will be 34 next year.
Pittsburgh wants to contend in the next few years before reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes’s rookie contract runs out after the 2029 season.
Skenes’s mere presence has forced owner Bob Nutting’s to up the roster. He is such a talented player, and the Pirates’ pitching is so strong that the expectation is no longer patience but contention. Pittsburgh fans are used to disappointment, but refusing to invest now could result in riots at PNC Park.
It’s almost unthinkable that Skenes would sign with a team that isn’t going to be a consistent contender, so unless Pittsburgh experiences a Houston-like long-term turnaround from perpetual mediocrity – and let’s face it, that’s not happening under Nutting’s watch – the Skenes era will someday end.
Before Skenes leaves, there’s plenty of time for young players like center fielder Oneil Cruz, pitchers Jared Jones and Bubba Chandler, infielder Nick Yorke and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia – among others – to break out.
Additionally, the no. 1-overall prospect, – shortstop and outfielder Konnor Griffin – is on his way, too.
Surprisingly, it’s looking more and more like Nutting sees the incredible potential in this team and is attempting to supplement the young stars with established veterans.
And the Pirates might be able to contend. The Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers will be the favorites to win the NL Central for the foreseeable future, but the Pirates could conceivably sneak into the wild-card race. The division-rival Cincinnati Reds – who are traditionally in a similar spot to the Pirates – made it to the dance last year, and they didn’t have anywhere near the assets the Pirates currently do.
Pittsburgh’s roster is projected for a total of 34.7 wins above replacement in 2026 on FanGraphs. That’s the eighth-least in Major League Baseball, but it’s a severe underestimate. FanGraphs projects Lowe to produce 2.0 wins above replacement, Chandler 1.9, Griffin 1.8, Jones 1.5, O’Hearn 1.3 and Yorke only 0.3. Barring anything drastic, all should hit the over, some by significant margins.
So yes, in this year and the next few, the Pittsburgh Pirates are trying to contend. They should, and I believe they will.