With just under a week until the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline, the Pittsburgh Pirates find themselves in a position they haven't occupied since 2015: squarely in the playoff hunt and expected to stay there through Game 162.
It's nearly impossible to predict a trade deadline — or where all 30 general managers will land by Monday — but the Pirates' needs are fairly clear. The bullpen requires serious help. There has been little consistency in the back end, and Dennis Santana, one of several options to close this season, was designated for assignment earlier this week. Ideally, the Pirates add multiple arms to give manager Don Kelly more reliable late-inning options.
The team could also use right-handed hitting in the corners. Pittsburgh has struggled against left-handed pitching this season (93 wRC+ vs. lefties compared to 114 wRC+ vs. righties), and injuries to Spencer Horowitz and Endy Rodriguez have only made things worse. With Ryan O'Hearn seeing more time at first base, an upgrade there could shift O'Hearn to DH and remove one of the team's most significant defensive liabilities. Third base is more of an open question depending on confidence in Nick Gonzalez's second-half performance: the infielder currently ranks fifth in batting average and 19th in on-base percentage across all of MLB. Does that hold up? Or do the Pirates prefer a more predictable bat there and slide Gonzalez into a utility role?
Players Who Could Realistically Be Moved
Even as buyers, the Pirates are constrained. There are only 26 active roster spots and 40 players who can be moved on and off the MLB roster. Pittsburgh currently carries 43 men on the 40-man, with six on the IL. Three of those — Horowitz, Oneil Cruz, and Konnor Griffin — are expected to return and slot directly into the major-league club, meaning the Pirates will need to clear at least three bodies before season's end. Trading a few away makes sense, but who would attract buyers?
The most obvious name is Marcel Ozuna, who is slashing .200/.286/.325 with a 67 OPS+ this season. Brought in as a power bat, Ozuna has been a locker-room presence off the field and a black hole at DH. With Esmerlyn Valdez's emergence, a fully healthy Pirates lineup likely pushes one of Valdez or Cruz to the DH spot, squeezing Ozuna to the bench. Playing Horowitz at first and O'Hearn at DH makes the most defensive sense — leaving no spot for Ozuna. Whether any team would take on his $10.5 million salary this season plus a $16 million mutual option (or $1.5 million buyout) for next year remains to be seen. Never say never on a buy-low candidate, but it would take a desperate situation.
The other notable name is Carmen Mlodzinski — and not because of poor production. The right-hander hasn't cracked the rotation, but has been highly effective as a reliever, posting 1.2 WAR this season. So why would a team in need of bullpen help trade away a good arm? Because Mlodzinski doesn't want to be a bullpen arm. As Alex Stumpf's breakdown details, the Pirates are effectively handcuffed by his insistence on three to four days of rest between outings, creating a situation where they can't deploy their best reliever when they need him most.
In a market with limited upside, there's a scenario where trading Mlodzinski to a team that needs back-end rotation depth now — and potentially bullpen help in October — generates enough return to acquire multiple lower-cost bullpen arms with greater aggregate impact over the second half. It may not be the most likely outcome, but from a pure asset-management perspective, it's probably the quickest way to retool the pen.
In any trade, the Pirates will likely be packaging prospects to acquire major-league-ready players from non-contending teams. Seth Hernandez should be considered untouchable. Edward Florentino, Murf Gray, and Wyatt Stanford are next to untouchable unless the Pirates make a significant swing for a player with multi-year control. However, once-highly-rated but recently fallen-off AAA players — Hunter Barco, Termarr Johnson, and Thomas Harrington — will likely enter discussions given their potential to contribute at the MLB level as soon as September. Any prospect outside the Pirates' top five is also in play, though team fit matters. The Mets have little interest in lower-level projects given their current payroll and roster construction; the Angels or Giants may be more receptive.
Players Who Could Realistically Be Acquired
Bullpen Arms
The Pirates need multiple relievers, so expect several names to come up here. This is unlikely to be a one-move deadline if there's no blockbuster swing.
Luke Weaver is the most coveted name on the market after a career year with the Mets, and is exactly the kind of asset analytically minded GM David Stearns will be looking to flip. Given the scarcity of elite relievers and the number of teams shopping for bullpen help, he won't come cheap. That said, Weaver is the best available, and the Brewers under Stearns had real success rehabilitating distressed Pirates pitching prospects — Quinn Priester's numbers speak to that. A Barco or Harrington could be the piece that swings Stearns toward Pittsburgh.
The rest of the Mets' bullpen is also worth monitoring. Brooks Raley and AJ Minter are older with less remaining control, but both offer experience and would represent immediate upgrades over what the Pirates are currently running out. Huascar Brazoban is the more intriguing piece: controllable through 2029 with strong underlying numbers, he fits the profile of a Pirates target — not the obvious closing candidate that Weaver, Raley, or Minter have been, but highly effective and affordable.
Anthony Senzatela was a poor starter but has reinvented himself as an effective reliever in an otherwise bleak Colorado situation. Controllable through next season and similar in profile to Brazoban, he would be a meaningful bullpen addition. The Rockies may be willing to sell at a discount — he's solid, but his $12 million salary next year (a holdover from a contract signed as a starter) complicates his value in Colorado.
There are plenty of lottery-ticket arms on the market as well — pitchers with concerning peripherals signaling regression, or soft-tossers propped up by strong defenses they won't find in Pittsburgh. The one genuinely intriguing name in that group is Bryan Abreu. He was supposed to be Houston's fill-in closer early in the season and pitched his way out of late-inning roles entirely. But Abreu still generates elite whiff rates and his fastball is elite when located. Given his rental status, this would only work if the Pirates are highly confident they can quickly identify and fix whatever is ailing a formerly elite arm.
Right-Handed Corner Hitting
There isn't a clear fit on the market for a right-handed corner bat who's an obvious upgrade over Pittsburgh's current construction. Christian Walker has improved as the season has progressed, but his swing-and-miss rate remains too high and his defensive numbers this year don't justify the cost of acquisition. There doesn't appear to be an obvious utility option readily available either. Barring a big swing to improve the lineup, the more likely path is finding a quality utility player who can deliver meaningful at-bats while giving some of the team's developmental players room to work with regular playing time at Triple-A.
The Big Swings
It's rare for the Pirates to find themselves with a roster clearly built to compete now — and with a work stoppage looming on the horizon that adds urgency for every club. The Athletic has compared this Pirates team to the 2015 Blue Jays and 2022 Phillies: a team with the underlying metrics and the momentum to make real noise in October, capable of reaching another level with the right acquisitions. So who might that be?
On the hitting side, much depends on who is actually willing to sell. The Red Sox seem unlikely to move controllable pieces of value, making Wilson Contreras — an otherwise perfect fit — an unlikely target despite his appeal. A more realistic option with comparable upside at a slightly lower price is Isaac Paredes of the Houston Astros. Houston's front office has historically preferred not to hold expiring contracts, especially in seasons where they're not tracking toward October. The Pirates and Astros already completed a deal earlier this year as part of the Brandon Lowe trade, meaning both sides have established familiarity with each other's valuations. Paredes also offers lineup versatility beyond third base, which matters as Pittsburgh gets healthy.
On the mound, the big bullpen name is obviously Mason Miller. Bringing Miller home would be a PR and on-field win, and discussions are almost certainly happening. However, it's hard to see the Pirates delivering the prospect haul Oakland would require. AJ Preller has little appetite for prospects more than half a season from the majors, and Pittsburgh's best available chips outside of Hernandez don't fit that mold — even in a scenario where Preller decides to move Miller.
Aroldis Chapman is another name worth considering. Much like Contreras, he would help the Red Sox in a playoff run. Unlike Contreras, Chapman is on an expiring deal, and Boston may look to see if a team will overpay to pry him loose. The Pirates have existing familiarity with Chapman. It wouldn't be the most exciting swing, but it would be a swing — and it would immediately stabilize the bullpen.
Final Thoughts
This is one of the more genuinely exciting trade deadlines in recent memory, driven by the volatility of the standings league-wide. With only one clear elite team (the Dodgers) and a hyper-competitive Wild Card race, there are far more buyers than sellers. The Pirates are among the most obvious buyers in the market, which means surprises are likely — and Pittsburgh's name should come up repeatedly between now and Monday's deadline.
