The Pittsburgh Pirates are coming off their best season in a decade, and yet it still wasn’t enough. A big reason the club won 82 games in 2026 was because of the work they did last offseason. If the Pirates hope to repeat that kind of success they can’t hit the brakes now. Instead they need to continue to act and have another strong offseason to continue to build on this success.
Resign Brandon Lowe
This is a no brainer, but it must be stressed… the Pirates NEED to resign Brandon Lowe! At age 32 Lowe showed no signs
of slowing down as he turned in one of the best seasons of his career. His 35 homers this season were the most ever hit by a Pirate in a single season, and it was the second most in a season in Lowe’s career. His .260 batting average was also the third highest in his career and he played in a career high 150 games. Simply put there’s no legitimate reason for the Pirates to not bring back Lowe.
In his first season as a Bucco, Lowe became the team’s best power threat and it wasn’t even close. There were flashes from other players and some promise for some up and comers, but no one on the roster currently can match that kind of pop at the plate. The question now is can the Pirates give Lowe what he’s looking for? He was snubbed from the All-Star team, and that could be a result of playing in a smaller market. At this point in his career he could be chasing maximum exposure and more stable situations to win. With that being said, Lowe and the Pirates feel like a match made in Heaven, and he should be the team’s top priority heading into 2027.
Acquire another quality right-handed hitter
In 2026, the Pirates had a much improved lineup, but were still lacking a power threat in the middle of the lineup. After Lowe and Oneil Cruz there is a significant drop in pop in Pittsburgh. Ryan O’Hearn and Bryan Reynolds provide decent power, while Esmerlyn Valdez and Konnor Griffin also show some promise, but ideally the Pirates can add one more strong hitter. This move can help especially if the organization fails to resign Lowe.
Third baseman Isaac Paredes is a name that has come up in potential fits for the Pirates, as he checks several boxes. For one he has some pop at the plate. He finished 2026 with 25 homers for the Houston Astros, plus had an efficient .262 batting average and .807 OPS. Paredes also plays third base. The Pirates rotated Jared Triolo and Nick Gonzales at third in 2026, but it’s unclear as to where they will be longterm. The Pirates can kill two birds with one stone by signing Paredes.
The Pirates batted just .228 with 3.82 runs per game and had a 18-33 record when facing left-handed starters. A quality right-handed hitter could curb some of those woes and get the team back on track against southpaws.
Add a left-handed starter
The Pittsburgh Pirates have the potential to have one of the best pitching rotations in baseball if a couple of things can come together. For starters they need Paul Skenes to come into 2027 healthy and well rested. When Skenes is at his best, he’s deadly. Skenes coupled with the emerging Braxton Ashcraft and the budding Bubba Chandler and Jared Jones make Pittsburgh a formidable foe on the mound. The Pirates should seriously consider adding a lefty starter to the mix though.
With Mitch Keller having the worst season of his career and it ending due to injury, it may be time to move on from the veteran starter. That would open up space in the rotation for a new arm, and with no lefties, it only makes sense to explore that market. Aiden Stepansky of MLB.com suggests that the Pirates could pursue Foster Griffin. The 31-year-old lefty is coming off his first All-Star selection with the Cleveland Guardians after posting a 3.60 ERA and earning 15 wins in 31 appearances. The free-agent market is kind of sparse this year so the Pirates would have to act fast, but a move like this would instantly bolster their starting rotation.
What do yinz think the Pirates should do this offseason? Let us know in the comments!
