North Shore Nine

NS9LIVE! returned with a full NL Central check-in and one central question: are the Pirates actually close, or do they still need another bat to feel legitimate? The crew agreed the offseason has been encouraging, especially with additions like Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, but pushed back on the idea that Pittsburgh can afford to stand pat. Compared to the rest of the division, Milwaukee still feels like the standard, while Chicago’s moves come with real risk and Cincinnati is a team the Pirates should finish ahead of if things break right.

The show also touched on recent roster movement around the league, including Marco Luciano landing in Baltimore and Tsung-Che Cheng heading to Tampa Bay, before diving into a lively mailbag. Topics ranged from why an Adley Rutschman blockbuster feels unrealistic, to the long-term outlook on the left side of the infield, to whether a Eugenio Suárez-type move would be more impactful than spreading resources across smaller additions. Lineup construction, rotation depth, and even some classic NS9 silliness rounded things out.

Watch or listen to the full episode now on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform, and make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the next NS9LIVE!