For years, Pirates fans have asked for more depth. Now that the organization has built it, that depth is being interpreted in some corners as redundancy. In reality, the Bucs are trying to address one of the most persistent problems they’ve had over the last several seasons: the lack of Major League-caliber options when the lineup isn’t fully healthy or needs rotation.
In past years, when a starter missed time or simply needed a day off, the replacement options often struggled to provide consistent offensive production. Players like Cal Mitchell, Ji-Hwan Bae, and Joshua Palacios were placed in situations where they had to play larger roles than originally intended. That’s not a criticism of those players, it’s what happens when roster depth is thin. The result, however, was a lineup that could become top-heavy and prone to stretches where it was difficult to generate runs.
That inconsistency shows up clearly when you look at last season’s results. The Pirates were 57–36 when they scored more than three runs. Their pitching staff was good enough to win games when given even modest support, but too often the offense couldn’t reach that threshold. A few non-productive spots in the order can stall an entire lineup over the course of a long season.
This offseason’s approach suggests the Pirates are trying to raise the offensive floor rather than simply chase a higher ceiling. The additions of hitters such as Marcell Ozuna, Ryan O’Hearn and Brandon Lowe, along with established bats like Bryan Reynolds and Spencer Horwitz, may appear duplicative because many profile as first base, DH, or corner outfield types. But the goal is less about positional variety and more about ensuring that multiple lineup spots can produce on a nightly basis.
In recent seasons, the Pirates have often relied on what fans sometimes refer to as “Quad-A” players: hitters who perform well in Triple-A but have difficulty making consistent offensive impact in the majors. The current roster is designed to reduce how often the club has to lean on that type of fill-in. Ideally, even when regulars are resting or dealing with short-term injuries, the lineup still features six or more hitters capable of contributing quality at-bats.
Jake Mangum is a good example of how that depth is meant to function. As a fourth outfielder, his role is not to anchor the offense, but to provide a dependable option when others need rest. Mangum hit close to .300 last season, offering contact ability that can help keep the lineup moving rather than creating a drop-off on days when starters sit.
Additional contributors could further support that structure. Jhostynxon Garcia gives the club another bat with upside, and if Konnor Griffin reaches the majors on the timeline many expect — and performs as projected at shortstop — the infield depth picture changes significantly as well. Meanwhile, a player like Jared Triolo brings defensive value that allows the team to rotate pieces without sacrificing run prevention, another element of maintaining overall roster stability.
Depth, in this context, is less about having extra players and more about minimizing the number of games where the lineup feels short-handed. Over a 162-game season, injuries, matchups, and routine rest are unavoidable. Teams that navigate that successfully tend to be the ones that can replace absent production without dramatically weakening the order.
For the Pirates, improving run support has been a clear area of need. Building a roster with more interchangeable, credible Major League hitters is one way to address that issue. It may not look dramatic on paper, but if it works as intended, it should lead to fewer stretches where the offense disappears and more games where the pitching staff has enough backing to turn competitive outings into wins.
