Insider: Pirates Still Need More Hitting Depth
If the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to improve after back-to-back 76-86 seasons, they need to improve an offense that has been among baseball's worst throughout a playoff drought that dates back to 2015.
Pittsburgh took a step in the right direction by trading for left-handed hitting Spencer Horwitz in a deal that sent a trio of pitchers, including Luis Ortiz, to the Cleveland Guardians. But as things presently stand, it will have to depend heavily on young players improving and other players bouncing back from down seasons in 2024. With Horwitz being the lone bat added outside of re-signing franchise icon Andrew McCutchen, CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson graded the Pirates' offseason as a C.
The Pirates ranked in the bottom 10 in nearly every major hitting stat, including runs scored, batting average and home runs.
"It's great that Andrew McCutchen is going to finish his career in Pittsburgh on his own terms," Anderson wrote. "I think the Spencer Horwitz addition could surprise people who are unfamiliar with his game; I had him as a breakout player last spring, and goodness knows the Pirates could use the offensive boost if they're going to return to the postseason for the first time since 2015. In fact, my biggest complaint here is that the Pirates aren't going far enough to leverage their pitching depth to upgrade the lineup. Obviously, that's easier said than done, but this team needs another bat to be a serious threat."
Horwitz, 27, got his first extended run in the big leagues and had a solid season, batting .265/.357/.433 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs across 97 games. Most of the left-handed hitter's production came against right-handed pitching.
The offense isn't the only area Pittsburgh needs to improve. Its bullpen had the fourth-highest ERA last season and was tied for the second-most blown leads in the ninth inning. To date, Pittsburgh has only made minor signings to address its bullpen, including signing hard-throwing right-hander Elvis Alvarado.
Even if the Pirates don't add to their bullpen, they have the pitching depth both in the majors and throughout the minor leagues to potentially make things work. The same can't be said about who Pittsburgh has who can improve the offense.
While Pittsburgh's reported interest in Alex Verdugo and Randal Grichuk could address its need in right field, neither would likely be more than a one or two-year stopgap. The Pirates' No. 6 prospect by MLB Pipeline's rankings, Nick Yorke, has experience playing in the outfield, but he's still a relative unknown.
It's no secret the Pirates have to improve the offense if they want to contend throughout the 2025 season. As of right now, unless its young players take the next step at the plate, the Pirates' path toward their first playoff bid since 2015 looks like an upward climb.
