Former Pirates Playing in NLCS and ALCS
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The Pittsburgh Pirates missed out on the postseason for an 11th-straight year, but several of their former players are still in the running for a World Series title this fall.
Several of the more notable former Pirates were eliminated in the Division Series, such as Gerrit Cole and David Bednar (New York Yankees) and Joe Musgrove (San Diego Padres), though the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians all have Bucco representation on their Championship Series rosters.
With that, here are all of the former Pirates who are still active in the playoffs.
Former Pirates Playing in the NLCS
The Milwaukee Brewers don't have any former Pirates on their 26-man roster for the NLCS.
Quinn Priester, who was traded to the Boston Red Sox at the 2024 trade deadline for Nick Yorke before later being rerouted to Milwaukee, almost certainly would've been on the roster if he were healthy after posting 3.32 ERA in 157 1/3 innings for the club in 2025.
Priester underwent thoracic outlet decompression surgery in June, however, ending his season.
The Dodgers only have one player on their NLCS roster who previously donned a Pittsburgh uniform, but he is easily the biggest name left in that regard.
Tyler Glasnow was a fifth-round pick by the Pirates in 2011 who blossomed into one of baseball's top prospects and was ranked as high as No. 9 by MLB Pipeline ahead of the 2017 season.
The right-hander never found his footing in Pittsburgh, though, pitching to a 5.79 ERA in 56 appearances (17 starts) from 2016 to 2018 before being dealt to the Rays alongside Austin Meadows and Shane Baz at the 2018 deadline as part of the infamous Chris Archer trade.
Glasnow became an ace for the Rays, even if injuries plagued him throughout his tenure with the club, as he recorded a 3.20 ERA and 526 strikeouts in 71 starts totaling 388 1/3 frames for them.
He was then traded to his hometown Dodgers ahead of the 2024 campaign and subsequently signed a five-year extension worth $136.5 million.
Glasnow has a 3.41 ERA across 53 regular season starts for Los Angeles, to go with a 1.73 ERA in seven total playoff outings (four starts).
The 33-year-old is now looking to help the Dodgers win their third World Series in a row after allowing one earned run over 4 2/3 innings in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves, which was the clincher.
Former Pirates Playing in the ALCS
The only former Pirate on Tampa Bay's ALCS roster is Ryan Vilade, who never appeared in a big league game for the club.
A second-round pick by the Colorado Rockies in 2017, Vilade was claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh in November 2022.
He was designated for assignment in March 2023 before clearing waivers and being outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis. There, Vilade slashed .270/.370/.382 with six home runs and 56 RBIs.
Vilade left the organization after that season, and he batted .245/.321/.429 with 11 homers and 43 RBIs over 278 plate appearances for the Rays this year. He also hit a home run in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees.
For the Guardians, Austin Hedges is the lone former Pirate on their ALCS roster.
Colin Holderman deserves a mention, though, as he would've been included considering he finished with a 2.73 ERA over 54 regular season appearances had he not undergone season-ending wrist surgery earlier this month.
Holderman, who arrived to Pittsburgh from the New York Mets at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for Daniel Vogelbach, posted a 4.39 ERA in 146 appearances totaling 143 2/3 frames out of the bullpen for the team from 2022 to 2025.
The Pirates designated Holderman for assignment after the 2025 season and he signed with the Guardians.
Hedges signed a one-year deal worth $5 million with the Pirates before the 2023 season.
While he's widely known as one of the best defensive catchers in baseball for the vast majority of his career, Hedges has always struggled with the bat.
That was certainly the case in Pittsburgh, as he slashed .180/.237/.230 over 185 plate appearances. Hedges was traded to the Texas Rangers at that year's deadline for international bonus pool money, and he promptly won a World Series with the club.
Hedges has gone against his career norm at the plate for Cleveland in 2026, slashing .247/.325/.377 with six home runs in 247 plate appearances.
He is hitless through three plate appearances so far this postseason, though.
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Jack is a New Jersey native who graduated from the University of Pittsburgh as a Media & Professional Communications major in 2024 who is now covering the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Yankees for On SI.