Rangers Reliever a Realistic Free Agent Target for Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates took one step toward improving their offense this offseason, but they still have a pressing need to address the bullpen.
With Pittsburgh yet to acquire a relief pitcher, adding an arm or two to the bullpen will likely be among the moves it makes before Spring Training begins in February. MLB.com picked one realistic free agent for every team and tabbed Texas Rangers right-handed relief pitcher José Leclerc as the player for the Pirates.
"Corner outfield is the more pressing need, but the bullpen is still on the Pirates’ shopping list after the unit failed to live up to expectations last year," Alex Stumpf wrote. "Leclerc is coming off a down year (4.32 ERA), but still had some very strong peripherals (36% whiff rate, 30.9% strikeout rate). A one-year deal to rebuild value could benefit him in the long term, and the Pirates could have another late-inning arm to pair with David Bednar."
The Pirates' bullpen had the fourth-highest ERA last season and was tied for the second-most leads in the ninth inning.
Leclerc, who was instrumental in the Rangers' run to winning the World Series in 2023, went 6-5 with a 4.32 ERA and 1.32 WHIP and had one save across 64 appearances in 2024. Over his 66.2 innings pitched, the right-handed reliever struck out 89 batters and walked 32. His 2.78 strikeout-to-walk ratio was his best since 2018.
Leclerc, 31, also boasts experience as a closer, tallying 41 saves in his career. In his lone postseason appearance, Leclerc was 1-1 with a 3.29 ERA and four saves in his 13 appearances.
The Pirates are going to need more than one reliever if they're going to improve a bullpen that was among the league's worst. Leclerc could be a solid option and help Pittsburgh address one of its biggest needs heading into the 2025 season.
