The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bullpen Crisis
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen has once again been the source of heartbreak for fans. In a recent game against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Bucs entered the ninth inning with a three-run lead. However, Gregory Soto’s performance in that crucial inning allowed the Phillies to tie the game. Dennis Santana then came in and let the Phillies score three more runs, sealing a dramatic comeback victory for the opposing team.
This loss highlights a recurring issue for the Pirates: their bullpen has consistently underperformed this season. Dennis Santana has not been reliable, Isaac Mattson hasn’t pitched as effectively as last year, and even the Pirates’ top free-agent signing, Gregory Soto, has contributed to recent setbacks. Fans are frustrated and are urging general manager Ben Cherington to take more aggressive action, but the reality is that no immediate relief is available.
No Immediate Relief Available
At the moment, the market for relievers is essentially dead. Most valuable relief pitchers are unlikely to be traded until July at the earliest. Even if the Pirates were to make an offer for Aroldis Chapman from the Boston Red Sox, the Red Sox have little incentive to accept it, given that the Pirates would likely be the only team seriously interested in the flame-throwing lefty.
To acquire a quality reliever, the Pirates would need to offer a significant package, something that most teams would be reluctant to accept. Currently, the Pirates don’t have any non-top 100 prospects who could attract a high-value reliever.
Early-Season Reliever Trades Rarely Work
Historically, early-season trades of closers have not yielded positive results. Over the past 20 years, there have been just three instances where closers with 20+ save seasons were traded before July, and each resulted in poor outcomes.
One example is Taylor Rogers, who was traded by the Minnesota Twins to the San Diego Padres in April 2022. Although Rogers faced some bad luck, he still posted a 4.34 ERA and 87 ERA+ with the Padres. The Twins received Emilio Pagán and Chris Paddack, but the trade ultimately proved unproductive for both teams.
Another case was Fernando Rodney, who was traded by the Padres to the Miami Marlins in 2016. While Rodney had a strong start with the Padres, his performance declined after the trade. The Padres received Chris Paddack, who became one of the top pitching prospects in baseball.
Ernesto Frieri was also traded early in the 2012 season. The Padres sent him to the Los Angeles Angels, but they didn’t receive much in return. Donn Roach and Alexi Amarista, who were part of the deal, did not have significant impacts on the Padres’ roster.
The Pirates Are to Blame
The current situation with the Pirates’ bullpen is largely self-inflicted. They traded All-Star closer David Bednar to the New York Yankees at the trade deadline for three prospects, including Rafael Flores Jr. While Bednar has continued to perform well in New York, Flores has struggled at Triple-A. The Pirates also let go of other quality relievers like Dauri Moreta and Chase Shugart.
What’s Next for the Pirates?
Despite the challenges, the Pirates do have some options to address their bullpen issues. One possibility is calling up Wilber Dotel and/or Antwone Kelly, both of whom are on the 40-man roster. Dotel has already made three appearances this season. Additionally, the return of Jared Jones will help bolster the pitching staff, as Carmen Mlodzinski is expected to return to the bullpen soon.
If Evan Sisk and Mason Montgomery can break out, they may see more high-leverage innings. Another option is to seek out low-cost relievers from other teams’ depth charts. However, the Pirates are mostly stuck in their current situation until other teams decide to open up trade discussions for their better relievers.
