The Pittsburgh Pirates have had some very frustrating games early in the year. They’ve lost some very close contests. Multiple factors are at blame. Either too many walks, not enough offense, or not enough timely hitting has led to their current record. However, the Pirates cannot let this season slip away. Even though they’re less than five games into the year, the Pirates should not be wary of making roster changes early in the year. They must have a proactive approach to their roster this year.
Find What Works for the Lineup
As of now, the Pirates have multiple players in the minor leagues knocking on the door to the Major Leagues. The number one prospect in all of baseball, shortstop Konnor Griffin, is the most obvious name. Griffin was sent to Triple-A Indianapolis to start the 2026 campaign. Calling up Griffin would immediately improve the Pirates’ infield defense. This would move Jared Triolo back to third base. Plus, it would reduce Nick Gonzales’ playing time. Griffin more than likely provides an upgrade over both Gonzales and Triolo when it comes to stepping into the batter’s box. Both had a sub-90 wRC+ in 2025.
Mar 1, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (75) hits a two-run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Pirates also have options for their outfield. Jhostynxon Garcia is a top ten prospect in the Bucs’ system. He put up a 116 wRC+ between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A last season. Garcia also appeared in five games in the Major Leagues in 2025 and tore up Spring Training pitching. Oneil Cruz’s time to figure it out is likely running short. After putting up a sub-60 wRC+ from the start of June onward last year, he has struggled out of the gate in 2026. Garcia could provide Cruz some relief when facing left-handed pitching.
If not Garcia, then the Pirates could call upon Esmerlyn Valdez. After a solid breakout season in 2024, Valdez improved his game. He smacked an impressive 26 home runs with a 155 wRC+ between High-A Greensboro and Double-A. While Valdez may not provide help in center field like Garcia can, he can still play both outfield corners, along with first base. Valdez is also a right-handed batter, so he could still take playing time away from Cruz when there is a lefty on the mound if they call both him and Garcia to the Major Leagues.
Additionally, the Pirates should not be afraid to call up Endy Rodriguez or Rafael Flores Jr. Joey Bart’s shaky defense has already begun to show up in games. He also needs to hit as he did in 2024, when he went yard a dozen times in 282 plate appearances and had a 121 wRC+, instead of in 2025, when he hit just four home runs with a 101 wRC+ over 332 trips to the plate. If Bart doesn’t start resembling his 2024 self quickly, the Pirates need to bring up Rodriguez or Flores Jr.
This Extends To Pitching…
The Pirates could also make an upgrade in the bullpen. Jose Urquidy struggled in his first appearance as a Pirates pitcher. He also hasn’t tallied in more than 70 innings in a season since 2022. With Hunter Barco on the roster, the Pirates do not need two multi-inning relievers. As the Pirates learned in the last game of the New York Mets series, they could still use another arm capable of high-leverage innings, like Brandan Bidois and Evan Sisk. Both Bidois and Sisk are on the 40-man roster.
The Bucs also can’t wait around for Carmen Mlodzinski to figure things out as a starter. Mlodzinski’s first start of 2026 was very promising, and giving him the chance to start games is the right choice by the Pirates. However, he struggled through nine starts last year when he opened 2025 in the rotation. It took the Pirates until after his start on May 17 to finally pull the plug.
Mar 29, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski (50) pitches against the New York Mets during the second inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Pirates can’t do that this year. If Mlodzinski doesn’t keep pitching as he did in his first outing, they need to remove him from the starting rotation by the end of April. It’s not like they have no replacements. Barco, Thomas Harrington, Antwone Kelly, or Wilber Dotel could take Mlodzinski’s spot. There’s a strong chance that one of them is pitching well enough by the end of April to fill in if Mlodzinski struggles.
Overall, the worst thing the Pirates can be is stagnant. They have to be proactive in their roster decision-making. Letting a player continue to struggle benefits no one. The Pirates lose more games, make wins more challenging, and likely affect said player’s confidence. They cannot let this season slip away. While that doesn’t mean the Bucs should lose all confidence in that player, they must adapt their roster to address their struggles.
Main Photo Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images