Pirates Could Lean On Pitching Depth To Add Hitting
While the old adage that pitching wins championships holds true more often than not, it's a moot point if you can't put any runs on the board.
Few teams are set up as well to have a better pitching staff over the next few years than the Pittsburgh Pirates with the arrival of Paul Skenes and Jared Jones plus three top-100 prospects in Bubba Chandler (No. 15), Braxton Ashcraft (No. 85) and Thomas Harrington (No. 91) on the cusp of being ready for the big leagues. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, it doesn't boast the same depth when it comes to its hitting.
With that predicament, MLB insider Alex Stumpf said this could be the offseason that Pittsburgh opts to use its surplus of pitching to add some much-needed thump to its offense for the 2025 season.
"The Pirates have plenty of pitching to offer in trades, both with Minor League prospects and Major League arms," Stumpf wrote. "Cherington has discussed wanting to convert some of that pitching depth to hitters, and this offseason seems like a good opportunity to do so."
Chandler, Harrington and Ashcraft will be attractive to any team that engages in trade talks with the Pirates. The type of hitter Pittsburgh can land will likely depend on what the it's willing to part with.
The Pirates ranked in the bottom 10 in nearly every major hitting category in 2024. Given their holes at first base, potentially shortstop and the outfield are all positions Pittsburgh should hesitate to improve, even if it costs it some of its pitching depth in the organization.
Among the potential options that the Pirates have been listed as potential options for are Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor, Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Díaz.
Regardless of the path Pittsburgh chooses to take to improve its offense, it can't afford to go through the offseason without adding an impactful bat or two. And if it costs some of its pitching depth, that's a price Pittsburgh should be willing to pay in hopes of ascending to a playoff team in 2025.
