Potential Pirates Trade Target Shut Down by Insider as Concerns Mount
· Yahoo Sports
Among all of the problems that the Pittsburgh Pirates have had this season, and there are definitely fewer of them than we've seen in the past, the bullpen continues to be at the top of that list.
Visit tr-sport.bond for more information.
The Pirates' offense also needs improvement at the trade deadline, but the bullpen remains the biggest concern. We all know what this young rotation is going to give us, though I'd even argue that adding another starter wouldn't be the worst idea, either.
Bullpen help will be the bigger priority, however, and there have been a few intriguing names already floated as potential options.
One of them was recently shut down, however, and I completely agree with not necessarily going after him. That player was none other than Aroldis Chapman, who is definitely one of the better relievers in Major League Baseball, perhaps even historically, but isn't the best fit for a young team like the Pirates that doesn't need any drama involved.
“It doesn’t have to be for Aroldis Chapman, at least not immediately. Finding another version of 2025 Chase Shugart or 2024 Hunter Stratton would be a solid first step. A simple, league-average right-handed reliever would take notable pressure off the rest of this bunch. Two of them could change things dramatically.
“The Pirates added depth to the lower levels of their minor league system last July. It’s still too early to know if any of those players will end up being assets to the major league club. But right now, they can be used to help the 2026 Pirates win games. If winning in 2026 is the primary goal, then it’s time to act,” Noah Hiles wrote.
As Hiles touched on, perhaps the Pirates could go with some younger guys from the farm system. That isn't always the worst idea, but it's also important that Pittsburgh recognizes that some of them might not be ready yet to contribute at the highest level in Major League Baseball.