Pirates 'Confident' Roster Will Improve Ahead Of 2025 Season
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With still many needs to address, one would believe the Pittsburgh Pirates should be far from done with adding to the roster ahead of next season.
At PiratesFest, the team's general manager Ben Cherington echoed that sentiment. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Noah Hiles reported that Cherington said he has confidence the roster will be better ahead of opening day when the Pirates face the Miami Marlins on March 27.
"I'm confident the roster will be improved between now and Opening Day," Cherington said.
GMBC: "Im confident the roster will be improved between now and Opening Day."
— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) January 18, 2025
The bullpen and right field were two of the Pirates' glaring needs heading into this offseason and still remain with Spring Training drawing near. Pittsburgh has made a series of minor trades and signings, though, they've yet to add a household name who can clearly step up and improve the bullpen. Pittsburgh signed left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson, but he'll reportedly have a chance to become the team's No. 5 starter.
The Pirates' bullpen had the fourth-highest ERA last season.
Pittsburgh has reportedly expressed interest in outfielders Randal Grichuk and Alex Verdugo. Grichuk is coming off a solid 2024 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, batting .291/.348/.528 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs. Verdugo struggled in the second half of the season with the New York Yankees and set career-lows with a .233/.291/.356 slash line while slugging 13 home runs and driving in 61 runs.
To date, the lone significant addition Pittsburgh has made to improve the offense is acquiring left-handed hitting first baseman Spencer Horwitz from the Cleveland Guardians. Horwitz batted .265/.357/.433 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs in 97 games for the Toronto Blue Jays last season.
Options to improve any area of the team are dwindling in free agency. If Pittsburgh finds itself missing the playoffs for a 10th straight season, it'll largely be tied to its typical approach in the offseason despite the team having solid pieces in place to improve with a pair of key additions.
