The Pirates are back at .500, but Monday’s Bucco Brew looked beyond the final 12 games and toward some major roster decisions for 2027.

Ryan O’Hearn, Spencer Horwitz and Esmerlyn Valdez give Pittsburgh options at first base and the corners, while Konnor Griffin, Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds already provide stability at key positions. Rafael Flores has also made catcher less of a concern than expected.

The bigger questions come elsewhere. Nick Gonzales’ bat belongs in the lineup, but is second base his long-term home? Should Brandon Lowe be brought back? Can Murf Gray eventually solve third base?

Even the pitching staff could look different, with Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler and Jared Jones giving Pittsburgh enough young arms to potentially reconsider Mitch Keller’s place in the rotation.

There are real pieces here. Now the Pirates have to figure out how to finish the roster around them.