Pirates Q&A: Rule 5 Protection, Offseason Fits, More (+)

Welcome back to another edition of our Pirates Q&A. Let’s get to your questions.

What players will be added to the 40 to avoid Rule 5 eligibility? – Kevin Ola

It will be interesting to see how the impending lockout impacts Ben Cherington’s decision on which prospects to protect. The Rule 5 Draft, assuming a lockout does take place, will either be postponed or cancelled.

But let’s just assume for the sake of this question that business is operating as usual. The Pirates will have several prospects worth consideration. I’ve narrowed down the list to six names. Termarr Johnson would’ve been a seventh had it not been for a down year and a devastating knee injury. The six names I have are: C/1B Axiel Plaz, INF/OF Jhonny Severino, INF Yordany De Los Santos, OF Lonnie White Jr., OF Mitch Jebb and RHP Derek Diamond.

A case could be made to protect most of these guys, but the Pirates probably can’t manage to protect six prospects with no MLB experience. Some could be trade bait. They’ll risk losing others. But some will need to be protected.

Will we see Seth Hernandez and Murf Gray this year on the major league club? – Rob Silvernail

Both players recently said that their goal is to make it to the Pirates in 2027. I think given what Gray showed this season, he has a realistic shot of impacting the 2027 Pirates. No, they should not go into the season banking on him to be the answer. But he certainly has a path to Pittsburgh next year.

As for Hernandez, I’m a little more skeptical. The right-hander shined in his first professional season but had his year cut short due to injury. He likely would’ve been on a major innings limit down the stretch had he not gotten hurt anyway. It’s rare to see a high school pitcher make it to the big leagues in two years. Hernandez has the talent, but I’m not necessarily expecting him to have a major role with the Pirates next season. Maybe a spot start at the end of the year or some bullpen innings if he proves he’s ready, perhaps.

Could we follow the Milwaukee … Tampa Bay model to get a championship caliber organization? – William Callahan

Both Milwaukee and Tampa Bay set the standard for small-market teams and those operating with a lower payroll. The Brewers have been to the postseason eight of the last nine years. They’ve won six division titles during that stretch and now have a World Series. The Rays have gone to the playoffs in six of the last eight years and have two American League pennants during that time.

Both teams excel at drafting and developing, keeping their farm systems fully stocked and making savvy trades and free agent signings. There’s no excuse for the Pirates not to be able to do the same. But so far, they haven’t.

Who’s on 3rd? – Jim McGowan

No, Who’s on first. In all seriousness the answer to this question depends on whether or not Brandon Lowe returns next season. Assuming he does not, Nick Gonzales could slide back to second base, leaving the Pirates with an opening at the hot corner.

The free agent market is thin. Alec Bohm and Mauricio Dubón are among the best available, assuming Bo Bichette doesn’t opt out of his lucrative deal with the Mets. There will be options on the trade market. The Astros’ Isaac Paredes, I feel, is a great fit.

If Lowe does return, I’m expecting a Jared Triolo/Jacob Gonzalez platoon until Murf Gray is deemed ready. Any Lowe contract would hinder the Pirates from making another splash.

What starting southpaw starter should the Pirates pursue for 2027? How do the Pirates shake their years’ long issues facing southpaws? Cruz made vast improvements in 2026 against them. Why are the right-handed batters still struggling? – James Vatter

The Pirates need to at least add some starting pitching depth. If they trade Mitch Keller, adding a left-handed starter as a replacement makes sense. There are some relatively cheap options on the free agent market. Guys like Robbie Ray, Foster Griffin and Shota Imanaga — and Tarik Skubal, obviously — will likely be too rich for Pittsburgh. But any cost-effective starter on a one-year deal makes sense.

And yes, the Pirates need to add a right-handed bat capable of hitting lefties. Looking at some free agent options in the outfield, Tyrone Taylor, Lane Thomas and Randal Grichuk are among the possibilities.

How much can Bob Nutting spend to make the Pirates champions? – Gregg Luongo

Would spending more increase the Pirates’ chances of winning a World Series? Yes. But I think this year’s matchup between the Brewers and Rays shows it takes much more than spending to build a winning team in a small market.

The Pirates aren’t close to the level of either team, or the Guardians as another example. They’ve made strides of late. Their drafting and developing has gotten better. They had their first winning season in seven years this year. But they still have a long way to go to get to where Milwaukee or Tampa Bay is.

Spending will help. But the Pirates need to establish a winning culture built on accountability to get over the hump. They’ve failed to do that for much of the last four decades.

Related Headlines

Read more at Pittsburgh Baseball Now