Three Players Pirates Should Be Watching in ALCS and NLCS
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates didn't make the postseason in 2026, but there are a few players who are still in it who could help them in 2027.
The Championship Series starts this week, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers facing off in the NLCS, and the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays battling for the ALCS.
Whichever team wins the best-of-seven series will play for the World Series, with the Dodgers looking for a three-peat, the Guardians aiming for their first World Series since 1948 and the Brewers and Rays having never won it yet.
The Pirates haven't made the playoffs since 2015, but adding one of these three players could help them end their long absence.
Three Players Pirates Should Be Watching in ALCS/NLCS
No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers LHP JoJo Romero
The Pirates can always use southpaws in their pitching staff, especially a veteran who won't cost too much money.
Brewers left-handed relief pitcher JoJo Romero would be a solid addition to the Pirates bullpen and becomes a free agent this offseason.
Romero has been a consistently strong performer in the NL Central since 2022, playing five seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals before they traded him to the Brewers at this year's deadline.
He's been good at inducing weak contact, ground balls, and staying healthy throughout his career, giving the Pirates someone reliable and who can get out of tough situations.
Romero doesn't overpower hitters with a 93.7 mph sinker, 82.9 mph sweeper and an 87.3 mph changeup, but he's utilized them well over the past few seasons.
His sinker and sweeper are his best pitches, and have played a role in keeping him in the major leagues for the vast majority of this decade.
Romero enters his first year of free agency, and if the Pirates need a southpaw, giving him a shot wouldn't be a bad idea.
No. 2: Cleveland Guardians OF Jo Adell
I've written about Adell before, and for good reason, as the Pirates need a right-handed power bat, someone who can hit lefties and added outfield depth never hurts.
Adell has been a strong contributor for the Guardians this postseason, with five hits, two triples and six RBI, playing a big role in them coming back from down 2-0 to the Chicago White Sox in the ALCS.
He hit a bases-clearing triple in the third inning of Game 3, making it 4-1 in the eventual 9-3 win, then hit a two-run single in the sixth inning of Game 4, capping off a six-run inning for the Guardians and ensuring a 9-4 victory after trailing 4-3.
Adell has hit 20+ home runs in the past three seasons, including 37 in 2025 with the Los Angeles Angels, the ninth-most in baseball that year.
He also was one of the best hitters against southpaws in 2026, slashing .320/.372/.599 for an OPS of .971 with 14 home runs, 45 RBI and 55 hits.
The Pirates were awful against left-handed pitching in 2026, going 18-33 against lefty starters, something they can't do in 2027.
Adell is in his final year of arbitration next season, so the Pirates would have to trade for him.
The Pirates already considered it at the trade deadline, and now they should do the same this offseason.
No. 3: Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Alex Vesia
The Pirates could go bigger than Romero this offseason and target one of the best southpaws relievers.
Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed relief pitcher Alex Vesia dominated in 2026 and is a big part of their bullpen and aims to become the first team to three-peat since the New York Yankees did so, 1998-2000.
Vesia posted a 2.64 ERA over 72 outings and 58 innings pitched, 74 strikeouts to 32 walks, a .147 BAA and a 1.07 WHIP, with his BAA second-best amongst relief pitchers.
His advanced stats are some of the best in baseball, with the Dodgers able to rely him in so many different situations.
Stat (Total) | Ranking |
|---|---|
Expected Batting Average (xBA) (.164) | Third-Lowest (Top 1%) |
Expected Slugging Percentage (xSLG) (.279) | 13th-Lowest (Top 4%) |
Weighted On-Base Average (wOBA) (.233) | 8th-Lowest (Top 2%) |
Expected Weighted On-Base Average (.254) | 16th-Lowest (Top 4%) |
Vesia dominates with his four-seam fastball, slider and changeup, but none of which are overpowering, with a 92.4 mph fastball.
He had one of the best whiff rates (33.6%, 96th percentile), and strikeout rates (31.2%, 95th percentile) and prevents hard-hits (33.6%, 84th percentile).
Vesia should command a hefty fee in free agency, but if the Pirates are going to be serious about 2027, they need to make bold additions, especially to their bullpen.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.