Left-handed pitching sits at the top of the Pittsburgh Pirates‘ offseason shopping list as general manager Ben Cherington evaluates roster improvements during the general manager meetings in Las Vegas, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on Friday.
The franchise is actively scanning the reliever market while keeping an open mind about securing a southpaw starter or swingman.
- Mitch Keller prepares for a relatively normal offseason following a right shoulder injury that cut his 2026 season short, with team leadership banking on him for 2027.
- Roster battles for outfield and designated hitter slots intensify with front-office plans prioritizing first base duties for Spencer Horwitz and Ryan O’Hearn.
The pursuit of southpaw arms addresses a clear organizational void following the departure of setup man Gregory Soto to free agency. Brandon Eisert and Evan Sisk currently stand as the primary left-handed bullpen complements to Mason Montgomery.
Nearly half of all major league at-bats in 2026 were taken by left-handed hitters, representing the highest rate in the modern era since 1961. Potential rotation candidates like Foster Griffin, Matthew Boyd, David Peterson, and Kris Bubic offer alternative paths if the front office expands beyond the bullpen.
Four rotation spots remain locked down by right-handers Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, Jared Jones, and Bubba Chandler, assuming health. Mitch Keller rounds out the projected group after a right shoulder injury cut short his 2026 campaign.
“If there’s ways to make the team better through the rotation, then we’re going to pursue that,” Cherington said at the MLB general manager meetings in Las Vegas.
“At the same time, we know what Mitch is capable of,” Cherington told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Best outcome for him, best outcome for the Pirates, is he comes in and he’s clearly one of those guys we’re counting on 32 times a year. I’m betting that’ll be the outcome that we get.”
| Player | Role / Status | Key Context |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Skenes | Right-Handed Starter | Secured rotation anchor |
| Mitch Keller | Right-Handed Starter | Rehabing shoulder for 2027 return |
| Gregory Soto | Left-Handed Reliever | Departed as a free agent |
| Akil Baddoo | Outfielder | Claimed off waivers on November 2, 2026 |
Beyond pitching, front-office priorities include retaining Brandon Lowe while shaping an infield structure that keeps Ryan O’Hearn out of the outfield on a regular basis. Young corner options like Esmerlyn Valdez and Rafael Flores Jr. earned internal praise, though Cherington said that Valdez still has performance milestones to reach before securing everyday right-fielder duties.
No major roster churn is anticipated ahead of the November 20 non-tender deadline for arbitration-eligible players. A team source indicates that all 11 arbitration-eligible players are expected to be tendered contracts, with outfielder Akil Baddoo serving as the lone potential exception following his November waiver claim from the Milwaukee Brewers.
“He’s proven, obviously, he can do a lot of different things,” Cherington said regarding pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski, who will prepare for the upcoming season as a starter.
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