North Shore Nine

In Part III of the Pirate Offseason series, we explore what would happen if the Pirates went hard in the paint. Add a few free agents to the team and make a massive trade to make the team a much more legitimate contender. While it would be easy to go hog wild and spend money the Pirates would realistically never do to make this a reality, we will instead still focus on things the Pirates could legitimately do to add big time players.

This means adding very little in terms of free agency salary. In scenario II there were roughly $16-million-dollars spent on free agents, in this scenario that number will remain roughly the same. However, the big difference where will be the trading avenues used to make the team better.

Catchers (Joey Bart, Henry Davis):
Still no change from the other scenario. Bart and Davis seem to be good choices to start the season as the tandem behind the plate. However, it is possible the Pirates want to see what Davis can do in AAA again or allow him to get reps in down there. If that is the case, then Jason Delay would be the backup catcher for the Pirates to start the year. Either way it’s very likely that once Endy Rodriguez becomes healthy enough and gets some playing time under him, he will join the Pirates to replace either Delay or Davis.

First base (Bryan Reynolds):
This still makes too much sense to not occur, even with the free agent this scenario signs. While he could stay in the outfield there were too many signs that point to this not happening late in the season. So once again Reynolds moves to 1B, where he should be quite good.

Second base (Nick Gonzales):
No change here, unless an injury occurs, or something goes terribly wrong Gonzales appears to have 2B locked down. The only thing you will see more in this scenario is some Yorke and Cook action at 2B as they will now be coming off the bench instead of starting in the OF.

Third Base (Ke’Bryan Hayes):
As long as he is healthy Hayes is the starting 3B. However, it is expected that he will get a lot of early season spells and extra days off with Jared Triolo seeing an increased amount of time at 3B. Also, with IKF on board there is plenty of shuffling Derek Shelton and crew can play with to keep folks fresh and hopefully less injured on a full season.

Shortstop (Ha-seong Kim):
Here is the spicy but not really addition for the 2025 Pittsburgh Pirates. Kim had labrum surgery which means he will not be back to the majors until mid to late April to May. However, his talent has been on display in San Diego for the last four years and would be a great fit for the Pirates. Spotrac projects his value will be over $12-million-dollars a year, also projecting him to get a four-year contract. With the injury concern teams might be hesitant to give him a four-year deal, even though he is only 29 years old. The Pirates should come out strong and offer a 3-year contract worth $37.5 million. He is a gold glove winner and has a pleasant amount of power as well in his arsenal. IKF is a good player, but Kim might be better and having both to add to Hayes, Gonzales and Triolo gives not only depth, but talent behind the pitchers.

Leftfield (JJ Bleday):
Pirates decide to swing for the fences and add two massive pieces in a single trade, bringing JJ Bleday and Brent Rooker over from the once Oakland A’s. In this trade the Pirates send talent and depth to the A’s to pry away two good bats. The haul, Braxton Ashcraft, Thomas Harrington, Nick Yorke, Mitch Jebb, Bryan De La Cruz and Hunter Stratton. Two top 100 prospects, 4 of the Pirates Top 10 prospects, a replacement OF and another solid pitcher in Stratton. It is a huge package, especially considering Rooker is basically a DH and that Bleday’s best season just occurred. However, if the Pirates are serious about winning selling a chunk of the farm to do so is well work it, especially as these two are in the system for 3 years (Rooker) and 4 years (Bleday). On top of that to make a deal and keep Chandler, Griffin and Johnson would be good. Now, it is possible that the A’s push for one or more of those three, however Chandler should be near untouchable, and the other two while not as untouchable, should be kept around if possible. Also, it is giving the A’s a number of well-regarded players to excite a fan base who are hurting more than the Pirates one are.

Centerfield (Oneil Cruz):
No change here either, they Pirates have decided to go this direction, and it would be idiotic to back track now.

Rightfield (Heston Kjerstad):
Trade two! The Orioles decided they need to add pitching and dangle the Kjerstad carrot out there for teams to fight over. In this scenario the Pirates win by sending Luis Ortiz, Carmen Mlodzinski and Ji Hwan Bae to the Orioles. The Orioles get two young and talented pitchers one for the rotation and one for the bullpen, as well as a speedy 4th outfielder they can for sure fix. This deal really only works if the Orioles are a team willing to buy high on Oritz, however they will need pitching on both sides and to add those pieces without adding salary will allow them the flexibility to do more with their money in FA, where they are allowed to spend. Kjerstad was not the best rookie out there last year, but for the somewhat meager price in this deal, it is worth the gamble.


Designated Hitter (Brent Rooker):
If you can add a guy who hit .293/365/.562 with a .927 OPS and who hit 26 doubles and 39 home runs, for a team worse than the Pirates, you do so. Back-to-back 30 homer seasons for Rooker make him a premier bat and one the Pirates desperately need. This would also mean a reduced role for McCutchen, something fans might be loathed to do especially after his last season was so good. However, bring him back anyway, a bench fill in roll while not great might still suit him with the rest of this team built the way it is.

Bench (Jared Triolo, Andrew McCutchen, Billy Cook, Isiah Kiner-Falefa )
Lose a bit of flexibility in this version of the bench, with Cutch being a DH and sometimes OF fill in. However, two amazing super utility players and a solid OF could be good enough to get this bench and team into the playoffs. Having nearly $12 Million on the bench is the Anti-Pirate move as well, but boy would it get the fans talking.

Starting Pitcher (Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Jared Jones, Bailey Falter, Bubba Chandler)
No change here from the last scenario. The Pirates again are doing the right thing giving the Rookie the chance to take off and run with it. Bubba Chandler breaks north with the Pirates in this scenario looking to make it back-to-back Rookie of the Year pitchers for the Pirates.

Bullpen (David Bednar, Colin Holderman, Dennis Santana, Kyle Nicolas, Mike Burrows, Scott Alexander and Joey Wentz)
Scenario III sees a mix and match of scenarios I and II for the last two spots in the bullpen. In this version the Pirates keep Wentz in the pen and only add one FA in Alexander, who Spotrac thinks will go for $2.5 million this offseason, again a pittance for a good lefty for the bullpen.


This would be the most heavily modified Pirates team out of all the scenarios, hence why it would be called the “Best Case”. You add the lefty the pen would need without breaking the bank. You add four new players as starters to the team. Two of which bring much needed power to the lineup that lacked that last season. You also add a gold glove winning shortstop who has some pop in his stick, and a potentially exciting young player from a club without a good space for him. Just think of this rotation and lineup as May comes into focus.

1. Gonzales 2B
2. Reynolds 1B
3. Cruz CF
4. Rooker DH
5. Bleday LF
6. Bart C
7. Kjerstad RF
8. Kim SS
9, Hayes 3B

Rotation:
Paul Skenes
Mitch Keller
Jared Jones
Bailey Falter
Bubba Chandler

If that isn’t a team to win the NL Central and make more noise than expected in the playoffs, then none of us know what we are doing. Considering also who this team would have come off the bench, there is no way fans would not come out in droves to see this team play. If Nutting and company want to see the fans excited and to get their sweet-sweet money in their pockets (Bob’s in particular) this is the team that, does it. Sign the free agents, makes the trades, and give the fans the team they have not had in over a decade.