The competition for the final two wild-card spots in the National League is intensifying, with the Pirates among eight teams within two games of each other in the standings. These teams are contending for the last two postseason slots alongside division leaders the Phillies, Dodgers, Brewers, and the Braves, who have a solid hold on the top wild-card position with a 5.5-game lead. Despite Pittsburgh’s mediocre 36-39 record, club owner Bob Nutting recently expressed optimism about the team’s playoff chances to reporters, including Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Nutting stated, “I think we’ve shown it’s attainable,” while acknowledging the need for better offensive production, as the team ranks fourth from the bottom in the majors with an 85 wRC+. He indicated that the team is evaluating how much improvement can come from within and how much will require external acquisitions.
Nutting mentioned that external additions could happen well before the July 30 trade deadline, even though most significant trades typically occur closer to the deadline. Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted that Nutting suggested the Pirates might have opportunities for acquisitions well in advance.
Hiles also reported that Nutting reiterated his commitment to increasing the baseball operations budget now that the team is in a competitive position for a postseason spot. This is promising for Pirates fans, as the current payroll of just over $86 million is the highest since 2017, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts. The subsequent offseason saw key players like Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole depart, signaling the start of a rebuild that the team is only now emerging from.
The Pirates have a strong starting pitching lineup, with Paul Skenes and Jared Jones leading the rotation, and Mitch Keller and Bailey Falter providing solid support. Given the team’s pitching strength and offensive struggles, it’s no surprise that Robert Murray of FanSided reported the Pirates are prioritizing offensive acquisitions this summer. Currently, the only clear sellers are the White Sox, Rockies, Marlins, Angels, and A’s, each offering intriguing potential targets such as Chicago’s Luis Robert Jr. and A’s slugger Brent Rooker.
Speculatively, both Robert Jr. and Rooker could improve the Pirates’ outfield. Additionally, the team might seek to upgrade at first base, where Rowdy Tellez has a 71 wRC+ in 61 games this year. High-profile names like Pete Alonso and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have appeared in rumors, though smaller acquisitions such as former Pirate Josh Bell or recently DFA’d A’s player J.D. Davis could also enhance the team over Tellez.