Could Pirates Really Trade Jared Jones?
The limits to which the Pittsburgh Pirates are willing to go to improve their offense will likely determine their ceiling in 2025.
But does that mean they should move one of their best building blocks for an established bat? Bleacher Report listed an unpopular trade for every team and for the Pirates, they recommended the Pirates trade Jared Jones, citing the franchise's desperate need for more offense and reluctance to spend money in free agency.
"The problem, of course, is that the Pirates badly need offense," Bleacher Report wrote. "They've finished 13th or lower among NL teams in runs five years in a row. Imminent help isn't coming from the farm, and you can pretty much rule out the Bucs buying bats in free agency."
The Pirates right-hander went 6-8 with a 4.14 ERA and struck out 132 batters over 121.2 innings pitched across 22 starts. Jones got off to a strong start, going 5-6 with a 3.56 ERA before the All-Star Break. Things took a turn in the second half, as he went 1-2 with a 5.87 ERA in six starts and nearly missed two months of the season due to a strained right lat.
While trading Jones is outlandish, one thing Bleacher Report did nail the head on is Pittsburgh's pitching depth throughout its farm system. Bubba Chandler, the Pirates' top-ranked prospect and No. 15 overall by MLB Pipeline, is knocking on the door of the majors after finishing up last season in Triple-A. Right-handed pitchers Braxton Ashcraft (No. 85) and Thomas Harrington (No. 91) also cracked MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospects and aren't far off from the big leagues.
Overall, five of the Pirates' top eight prospects are pitchers.
"The trade market is therefore pretty much their only hope of adding an impact hitter or two," Bleacher Report writes. "And even sans Jones, the future of Pittsburgh's rotation would still look bright. The club's farm system is rich with upper-level pitching."
Still, though, having Jones atop the rotation alongside Paul Skenes is the Pirates' best building block. Doing away with that would more than likely be foolish unless they can somehow land one of the best hitters in baseball. And even then, trading Jones would be questionable at best for the Pirates.
