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Pirates To Sign Dominic Fletcher To Minor League Deal

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The Pirates and outfielder Dominic Fletcher have agreed to a minor league deal, as first reported by Bucco Bantr. The Ballengee Group client also receives an invite to big league camp in spring training.

Fletcher, 28, has appeared in 112 big league games over the past three big league seasons. Suiting up for the Diamondbacks and the White Sox, he has stepped to the plate 377 times but with just four home runs and a 5.3% walk rate. That’s led to a .233/.280/.325 batting line and 67 wRC+, indicating he’s been 33% below league average at the plate. He’s been better in the minors but not by much. Dating back to the start of 2024, he has a .256/.317/.432 line and 88 wRC+ on the farm.

The White Sox outrighted him off their roster in October and he was later able to elect free agency. Despite the lack of offense, Fletcher could have a path to being a glove-first fourth outfielder. He has 872 2/3 big league innings in the outfield, having spent time in all three slots on the grass. In that time, he’s been credited with five Outs Above Average and 13 Defensive Runs Saved.

The Bucs project to have Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds in two outfield spots. That leaves one job open for guys like Jake Mangum, Jhostynxon García, Jack Suwinski and Billy Cook. They recently designated Marco Luciano for assignment, so he could be in the mix as non-roster depth if he clears waivers. Ronny Simón is already aboard as a non-roster option as the Bucs signed him to a minor league deal.

Fletcher now jumps into that competition for outfield playing time. If he eventually earns a roster spot, he has one option season remaining. He also has a bit more than one year of service time, so he’s still years away from qualifying for arbitration and could therefore be affordably retained for the foreseeable future.

Photo courtesy of Lon Horwedel, Imagn Images

Latest On Pirates’ Interest In Kazuma Okamoto

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It was almost a month ago that the Pirates were first linked to Kazuma Okamoto, as The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich reported that Okamoto was one several free agent hitters the Buccos were “considering.”  The club’s interest has apparently continued, with a team source telling Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Okamoto and the Pirates have engaged in “multiple virtual meetings.”  It isn’t known if Okamoto is planning any in-person visits to Pittsburgh or any other cities before his 45-day posting window closes on January 4.

In general, there haven’t been a ton of details about Okamoto’s efforts to arrive in Major League Baseball, apart from reports that the Red Sox and Blue Jays are involved in his market along with the Pirates.  Boston may be a less likely suitor now that Willson Contreras has been acquired to play first base, and while Okamoto is primarily a third baseman, the Sox are known be pursuing Alex Bregman.  It is entirely possible Bregman will still be weighing his options by January 4, so the Red Sox might not want to make another signing in the interim that rules Bregman out.  The Jays are in something of a similar situation as they consider re-signing Bo Bichette, or potentially pivoting to another big bat like Kyle Tucker or even Bregman.

Any number of other suitors could be involved with Okamoto, of course.  With over two weeks to go before the end of his posting window, there is plenty of time for other teams to emerge, plus any shifts in the Bregman/Bichette/Tucker markets could spur some more interest from the Red Sox or Blue Jays.  As such, it’s a reach to suggest that the Pirates are any sort of favorite for Okamoto, especially given their lack of history at attracting Japanese talent…or prominent free agents in general.

MLB Trade Rumors ranked Okamoto 19th on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents, and projected the infielder for a four-year, $64MM contract.  That estimated price tag could represent the biggest obstacle to a deal between Okamoto and the Pirates, who have long been hesitant to spend on the open market.  Francisco Liriano’s three-year, $39MM deal from the 2014-15 offseason remains the largest free agent contract in Pittsburgh’s history, though the team’s actions this winter indicate that owner Robert Nutting may (finally) be more willing to open the checkbook.

The Pirates were reportedly willing to give Kyle Schwarber a four-year deal in the range of $120MM-$125MM, and also had interest in Josh Naylor before Naylor rather quickly exited the market by re-signing with the Mariners.  The Bucs have also been linked to Ketel Marte on the trade market, and the Diamondbacks second baseman carries a hefty price tag from the extension he signed with Arizona just last spring.

To date, Pittsburgh has already added Brandon Lowe as a very prominent lineup addition via the three-team trade with the Rays and Astros that also brought Jake Mangum into the outfield mix.  Jhostynxon Garcia also arrived in the ’Burgh via a five-player deal with the Red Sox.  Those two trades saw the Pirates trade from their rotation depth by moving out Johan Oviedo and Mike Burrows, though GM Ben Cherington said his team is still looking to land another “proven bat.”

Okamoto doesn’t exactly fit this description, as the 29-year-old obviously has never seen any action in North American baseball.  There have also been some questions as to how Okamoto will be able to handle the higher velocity of MLB pitchers, and his defensive value as a third baseman is seen as solid if nothing special.  This all said, Okamoto has been one of Japan’s best hitters for years, with a career .277/.361/.521 slash line and 248 home runs over his 4494 plate appearances with the Yomiuri Giants.

Signing Okamoto to a multi-year deal would provide some long-term lineup coverage, as Lowe is slated for free agency next winter.  Installing Okamoto at third base would leave Jared Triolo, Nick Gonzales, and Nick Yorke battling for middle infield playing time (when Lowe is used at DH instead of second base), yet using this group in a part-time or bench capacity only deepens the roster.  There is also the simple fact that none of the trio hit in 2025, so it is hard to imagine Okamoto wouldn’t represent some kind of upgrade for a Pittsburgh team that badly needs more offense.

Pirates Hoping To Add “Proven Bat” Following Lowe Trade

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The Pirates made a major addition to their offense yesterday when they swung a three-team trade with the Astros and Rays that saw them ship out right-hander Mike Burrows and acquire second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum, and left-hander Mason Montgomery. Lowe is the major prize of that trade as a former All-Star with eight years in the majors under his belt and a career wRC+ of 123, but even after bringing Lowe into the fold GM Ben Cherington told reporters (including Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) that the team hopes to add another “proven bat” to the roster this offseason beyond Lowe.

Bringing in offense to help support a rotation led by superstar righty Paul Skenes has long been the goal of Pittsburgh’s offseason. The Pirates finished 28th in the majors with a wRC+ of just 86 last year, and while bringing in a bat like Lowe to join Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds as a locked-in, everyday player should help, it won’t be enough to turn things around on its own. Lowe isn’t the only viable bat the team has brought in, of course; Mangum posted a decent 95 wRC+ in his rookie season with the Rays last year and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him and freshly-acquired prospect Jhostynxon Garcia split time in left for the Pirates this season. The possibility of top prospect Konnor Griffin making an impact as the team’s everyday shortstop can’t be ruled out, either.

Even with those youngsters potentially ready to help Lowe, Reynolds, Cruz, Spencer Horwitz, and Joey Bart fill out the lineup, however, questions remain. Lowe figures to get the majority of the reps at second base, pushing Nick Gonzales off of the position. Griffin’s eventual ascent to the MLB roster could, too, push Jared Triolo off the shortstop position. Cherington noted that both players are working out at second base and shortstop this offseason, with Triolo also taking reps at third base. With Triolo and Gonzales being joined by Lowe and (eventually) Griffin, the team’s middle infield mix seems fairly well-set for the time being.

The hot corner is perhaps the most unsettled position on the roster for the Pirates after Ke’Bryan Hayes was traded to Cincinnati last summer. That would be a logical place for the club to look for an addition, and so it’s perhaps no surprise that the club has been attached to players like Jorge Polanco (who has since signed with the Mets) and Kazuma Okamoto in free agency. The trade market offers fewer obvious options than free agency, though the Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan is certainly flexible enough defensively to handle the hot corner and it’s not impossible to imagine the Phillies dealing away Alec Bohm. Internally, Triolo and perhaps Nick Yorke are options at the position, though the latter has only token experience there.

If adding a third baseman isn’t in the cards, that certainly doesn’t mean there’s no other way to add a bat. Andrew McCutchen’s departure via free agency leaves the DH spot wide open. Perhaps the Pirates could look to add a DH outright to replace McCutchen as the simplest way to inject life into their offense. The club previously made a significant effort to pursue Kyle Schwarber, and while he’s now off the market Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently connected the Pirates to veteran slugger Marcell Ozuna. Ozuna, who posted a respectable 114 wRC+ even in a down season last year, would be a big upgrade to the Pirates lineup but would leave them with minimal versatility. Perhaps, then, adding an outfielder or first baseman to the mix who could pitch in defensively in addition to taking DH reps like Ryan O’Hearn could make more sense.

Perhaps the trade market could be an avenue to upgrade even if the club isn’t looking for a third baseman, as well. The Red Sox are known to be open to trading one of their controllable outfielders like Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu, although the rumored price tag is sky-high. The Mets are seemingly open to offers on infielder Mark Vientos, who has experience at third base but profiles better at first, and players like Steven Kwan and Alec Burleson could at least theoretically be available as well.

The problem with taking a big swing on the trade market, however, is that Cherington appears hesitant to deal more from the club’s rotation depth after already trading away Burrows and Johan Oviedo. As Alex Stumpf of MLB.com notes, even Cherington indicated an openness to adding a back-of-the-rotation starter to the mix as he expressed reluctance to trade away more of the club’s depth.

“You don’t ever wanna say never,” Cherington said, as relayed by Stumpf. “Don’t want to cut ourselves off to something that just really makes sense for the Pirates short term and long term. But it would have to clear a bar for sure. At this point it seems unlikely we would do that unless we saw a player coming back that was an immediate fit for the lineup and also with some confidence that we can add a starter back in a different way whether that was through trade or free agency. I think that’s possible.”

That’s not fully shutting the door on a trade of someone like Mitch Keller or Carmen Mlodzinski from the rotation, but it certainly appears to indicate there are real obstacles to pulling off that sort of move. If the Pirates were able to add more depth via free agency, that could more clearly open the door to a trade that sends a controllable pitcher out in exchange for an impact player like Duran or Donovan. Zack Littell, Jose Quintana, and Tyler Mahle are among the interesting rotation options available who could be within Pittsburgh’s price range, should they go hunting for an arm in free agency.

Details On Ketel Marte’s No-Trade Protection

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The seven-year contract extension Ketel Marte signed with the Diamondbacks last April included a five-team no-trade clause, which adds an interesting wrinkle to the trade rumors that have swirled around the former NLCS MVP in recent weeks.  As reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Athletics, Cardinals, Giants, Pirates, and Yankees are the five teams included on Marte’s current list, which can be updated every offseason.

There are any number of reasons why a player may include a particular team on a no-trade list, and it is worth noting that Marte could still ultimately approve a deal to any of these clubs.  There is no obvious geographic link between the five teams, and while the Yankees were the only member of the group to reach the 2025 playoffs, the Giants, Pirates, and even the A’s are all looking to compete in 2026.  The Cardinals are in rebuild mode, so it is safe to say they weren’t in the running to acquire Marte anyway.

Interestingly, the Pirates and Giants have been linked to Marte’s trade market.  Now that Pittsburgh has landed Brandon Lowe from the Rays in yesterday’s big three-team swap, the Bucs may feel their second base needs have been addressed, though there is a world where Lowe could be a primary DH and Marte could still be brought aboard.  Still, there’s such a hefty amount of money remaining on Marte’s contract that a trade to the budget-conscious Pirates always seemed like an imperfect fit, and Marte’s no-trade list might well underline his own reservations about joining a team with just one winning season in the last decade.

San Francisco has also topped the .500 mark only once in the last nine seasons, but the Giants have been much more willing to spend in their bid to return to consistent contention.  While ownership is wary about making another long-term financial commitment, Marte’s deal could be viewed as a relative bargain, since he would land way more than $102.5MM on a six-year deal if he was a free agent this winter.

Second base is a need position for the Giants, though perhaps not as pressing as the club’s need for more rotation help.  Making a big splash in acquiring Marte might not be as big a priority, in that case, plus there are the added obstacles of Marte’s no-trade protection and the Diamondbacks’ probable reluctance to move the All-Star to a division rival.  San Francisco is considered to be one of the favorites to pry Brendan Donovan away from the Cardinals, so that might end up being the Giants’ big move to address the keystone.

The Giants and Pirates each play in pitcher-friendly ballparks, which might factor into Marte’s reasoning for including the teams on his list.  Sutter Health Park is extremely hitter-friendly, yet it is fair to wonder if Marte just doesn’t want to play in a minor league stadium for at least the next two seasons while the A’s await the construction of their new ballpark in Las Vegas.

The A’s have a big hole at second base, and acquiring Marte would add another top-tier bat to a lineup that already includes Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker, Tyler Soderstrom, Jacob Wilson, and Shea Langeliers.  While the A’s have been a bit more willing to spend over the last year, Marte’s remaining salary would represent a new spending frontier for the traditionally low-payroll team.  Hypothetically, Luis Severino could be included in a Marte trade as salary offset, but that assumes Arizona (who needs rotation help) has any interest in Severino in the wake of his uninspiring 2025 season.

The Yankees are the most interesting inclusion on Marte’s list, as one would think he would welcome a chance to join a perennial contender.  Jazz Chisholm Jr. is already playing second base in the Bronx, but Chisholm is a free agent next winter, so Marte would represent a longer-term answer at the position.  Purely speculatively, any kind of Diamondbacks/Yankees trade involving Marte could see Chisholm going the other way, to give Arizona a one-year stopgap at second or third base.

Re-signing Cody Bellinger is thought be the Yankees’ top offseason priority, though New York might pivot to other backup plans should Bellinger sign elsewhere.  Landing Marte would certainly qualify as a substantial Plan B, yet his no-trade clause might make any potential trade a moot point.

Amidst all of the reports and speculation, it remains unclear if the Diamondbacks actually will trade away a star player who received such a lengthy contract extension less than a year ago.  With Lowe now in Pittsburgh, however, one big second-base trade chip has been removed from the board, leaving other teams in need of keystone help perhaps more open to meeting Arizona’s demands for Marte.  Beyond the Pirates and Giants, such teams as the Mariners, Rays, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Phillies, and Tigers have all reportedly shown some degree of interest in a Marte trade this winter.

Astros, Pirates, Rays Finalize Three-Team Trade Sending Brandon Lowe To Pittsburgh, Mike Burrows To Houston, Jacob Melton To Tampa

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The Astros, Pirates and Rays have completed a big three-team trade. Each team’s end of the deal breaks down as follows…

The Bucs have a full 40-man roster and will have to make two corresponding moves, which they have not announced yet.

Lowe is the biggest name of the bunch here. The 31-year-old has spent the past eight seasons with the Rays. In that time, he has established himself as one of the better power-hitting second basemen in the sport. Dating back to the start of 2019, he has hit 151 home runs. Among primary second basemen, only Marcus Semien and Jose Altuve are ahead of him in that category, with Semien having 178 homers in that span and Altuve 158.

That power production from Lowe is even more impressive when one considers that he did that in about one thousand fewer plate appearances than Altuve and about 1,600 shy of Semien. But that also demonstrates the main knock on Lowe, which is that he has had trouble staying on the field. Due to various injuries over the years, he has only twice been able to play more than 107 games in a season. Lower back problems have been a frequent issue but he’s also hit the injured list due to a right shin bone bruise, a right triceps contusion, a right patella fracture, a right oblique strain, left oblique tightness and left ankle/foot tendinitis.

Earlier in his career, the Rays moved Lowe between second base and the outfield corners. Presumably because of the injuries, he hasn’t been sent out to the grass since 2022. He has been almost exclusively a second baseman lately, with a few stints at first as well. His second base defense was once around league average but seems to have slipped as he has battled those injuries and pushed into his 30s. He was given a minus-13 grade from Outs Above Average this year and minus-14 from Defensive Runs Saved.

There’s also a bit of concern from his declining plate discipline. He has always had a high strikeout rate but offset that earlier in his career with solid walk rates. That hasn’t been the case lately, as Lowe walked in fewer than 8% of his plate appearances in each of the past two years.

The power has still been enough to carry the profile. Dating back to the start of 2024, he has 52 home runs and a .251/.309/.475 batting line. That translates to a 118 wRC+, indicating his offense has been 18% above league average overall. Despite the defensive shortcomings, FanGraphs credited him with four wins above replacement in 241 games over that two-year span. He is going to make $11.5MM in 2026 before he’s slated to reach free agency.

Though Lowe is an imperfect player, he will be a big upgrade for the Pirates. They had almost no offensive prowess to speak of in 2025. Spencer Horwitz was the only Pirate to produce a wRC+ higher than 101.

While the Bucs had a clear lack of offense, they have a huge pile of pitching talent. Paul Skenes is the clear headliner but they have plenty of other exciting young arms in the mix. After several years struggling to return to contention, the Bucs came into this winter looking to get aggressive in upgrading the offense.

They made some spirited attempts in free agency, making competitive offers to Kyle Schwarber and Josh Naylor before they re-signed with the Phillies and Mariners respectively. Even if the Bucs had succeeded in signing one of those guys or someone else, it always seemed likely that they would use their stockpile of young arms to bolster the offense. This is the second such trade of the offseason for the Bucs. They sent Johan Oviedo to the Red Sox earlier this month as part of a five-player swap, with outfielder Jhostynxon García coming back to Pittsburgh.

Lowe could jump in as the regular second baseman. The Bucs used guys like Jared Triolo, Nick Yorke and Nick Gonzales there in 2025 without anyone taking firm hold of the position. Given Lowe’s age, injury issues and defensive shortcomings, it’s also possible he sees significant time in the designated hitter slot. That would leave open some playing time for those guys, though Triolo and Gonzalez could also factor in at shortstop or third base.

Since Lowe is going into the final year of his deal, he’s just a one-year upgrade for the Pirates, though it’s possible they could make him a qualifying offer at season’s end if he has a healthy and productive campaign.

They had added yet another guy to their position player mix with Mangum, though he’s not likely to be a massive lineup boost. He got into 118 games with the Rays this year as a speed-and-defense guy with a contact-based approach. His 15% strikeout rate was lower than league average but he also only drew walks at a 4% clip and hit only three home runs. His .296/.330/.368 batting line translated to a 95 wRC+ but he stole 27 bases and got strong defensive grades in all three outfield slots.

Mangum has exactly one year of service time, meaning he’s at least two years from arbitration and five years from free agency. He also has a full slate of options, so he could be sent to Triple-A to serve as depth. The Bucs should have Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds in two outfield spots. One spot is available with guys like García, Jack Suwinski, Marco Luciano and others in the mix. Mangum could push for a regular role or a gig as a fourth outfielder, or he could end up in Triple-A, as mentioned. A lengthy optional assignment could delay his trajectory to arbitration and/or free agency.

The Bucs also picked up a reliever in Montgomery. The southpaw tossed 55 2/3 innings for the Rays over the past two years, allowing 5.01 earned runs per nine. He struck out 32.5% of batters faced and got grounders on 45% of balls in play but also gave out walks at a big 13% clip. He has a high-90s fastball, as well as a cutter and a slider, but control is clearly an issue.

He is also optionable and can be controlled for five years, so the Bucs can see if they can help him harness his stuff, without having to commit a big league roster spot. Pittsburgh’s southpaw relief contingent is currently headlined by Gregory Soto, with Evan Sisk and now Montgomery also in the mix.

In order to get those players, the Pirates are making a notable subtraction from their rotation. Burrows, 26, was an 11th-round pick and spent many years in the middle range of Pittsburgh’s top 30 prospects. However, he has increased his stock lately. He has thus far tossed 99 1/3 innings in his big league career with a 3.90 ERA, 23.8% strikeout rate, 8.2% walk rate and 41.9% ground ball rate. He has averaged in the mid-90s with his four-seamer and sinker while also throwing a slider, curveball and changeup. He has also thrown 83 2/3 innings in the minors over the past two seasons with a 4.20 ERA, 27.4% strikeout rate and 9.6% walk rate.

The Pirates are hoping that their trades this offseason have bolstered their lineup and bullpen, while the rotation could still be a strength despite the subtractions. Even without Oviedo and Burrows, they still have Skenes, Mitch Keller, Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler, Hunter Barco, Thomas Harrington and others in the mix. Jared Jones is still recovering from Tommy John surgery but should rejoin that group at some point in 2026.

Burrows is a sensible addition for the Astros. Injuries tore apart their rotation in 2026. Luis Garcia required yet another elbow surgery and was jettisoned from the roster. Ronel Blanco, Hayden Wesneski and Brandon Walter all required Tommy John surgery during the 2025 season and are facing lengthy absences.

In addition to the injury issues, they also lost Framber Valdez to free agency and don’t appear likely to re-sign him. That’s because they are reportedly hoping to avoid the competitive balance tax in 2026. RosterResource pegs them for a CBT number of around $220MM, which is roughly $24MM shy of the $244MM base threshold. That gives them some ability to do things but they also have other needs on the roster and presumably want to keep some powder dry for midseason additions.

Put it all together and the Astros came into the winter with a rotation consisting of Hunter Brown and a series of question marks. Cristian Javier should have a spot next year but he had middling results in 2025 after recovering from his own Tommy John surgery. They can’t count on Lance McCullers Jr. for anything after he posted a 6.51 ERA in his return from a lengthy injury absence. Jason Alexander is in the mix but is a veteran journeyman. Spencer Arrighetti, J.P. France, Colton Gordon, AJ Blubaugh and Miguel Ullola are on the 40-man but they’re all either unestablished at the big league level or struggled with injuries in 2025.

Adding to the rotation was obviously necessary but the budgetary situation has impacted their approach. Instead of going after top free agents, they have given modest deals to reclamation project Nate Pearson and KBO returnee Ryan Weiss.

Burrows also fits into the low-cost mode. He has less than a year of service time, meaning he’s still years away from arbitration and even further from free agency. He also still has an option season remaining, so the Astros can send him to Triple-A throughout the year if other guys push him for a rotation spot.

To get that affordable rotation upgrade, they are subtracting from their outfield mix and their long-term pitching pipeline. Melton, now 25, debuted in 2025 but didn’t hit the ground running. He hit just .157/.234/.186 this year, though in a tiny sample of 78 plate appearances. A right ankle sprain cost him a decent chunk of the season, as he only got into 67 games between Triple-A and the majors.

His minor league work is naturally more impressive. Prior to this trade, many outlets considered him the top prospect in Houston’s system. He’s considered a plus outfielder and baserunner. Though his 2025 was shortened by injury, he swiped at least 30 bags in the two previous minor league seasons. In 1,146 minor league plate appearances, he has a 22.6% strikeout rate, 10.1% walk rate, 48 home runs, .255/.334/.462 line and 110 wRC+.

Though Melton had reached the big leagues, he was part of a somewhat jumbled outfield mix consisting of Jake Meyers, Cam Smith, Jesús Sánchez, Zach Cole and Zach Dezenzo, with Yordan Alvarez also in the mix from time to time when he’s not the designated hitter. Meyers has been in some trade rumors but Melton was perhaps more appealing to the Rays. Meyers is down to two years of club control and is projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for a $3.5MM salary next year.

Melton has less than a year of service time, so he comes with six full years of control. He also has two option seasons remaining, so the Rays can keep him in Triple-A if he hasn’t yet earned a big league job with them. The Rays effectively swap him into their outfield mix for Mangum. He’ll compete for playing time with Chandler Simpson, Josh Lowe, Cedric Mullins, Jake Fraley, Jonny DeLuca, Richie Palacios and others.

Brito is also an attractive piece but he’s farther away. An amateur signing out of Venezuela, he has limited professional experience, having not yet reached the Double-A level. Thus far, he has shown big strikeout stuff but he’s clearly still working on controlling his stuff. He has thrown 103 minor league innings over 2024 and 2025 with a 2.36 ERA, walking 11.7% of batters faced but also punching them out at a 35% clip. Baseball America had him ranked as the #3 prospect in the Astros’ system before the deal.

The Rays have been busy today, as they have also sent Shane Baz to the Orioles for four prospects and a draft pick. This deal is also future-focused for them, as they have sent out three big leaguers for two prospects. Given the young and controllable talent they acquired, it’s possible this is some kind of setback for a rebuild.

On the other hand, Lowe was already a classic Rays trade candidate, as he is relatively expensive for them and nearing free agency. Baz isn’t quite the same, as he can still be controlled for three more seasons, but he is projected for a $3.1MM salary next year. Maybe the Rays will now pivot to investing in the roster, now that they’ve saved some money and bolstered their farm system.

Given that this deal involves three teams and half a dozen players, most of whom are young and controllable for years to come, it’s going to take quite a while to determine whether it was wise for the clubs involved. For now, it aligns with their immediate needs.

The Astros have bolstered their rotation without having to pay big bucks. They have subtracted one of their top prospects in Melton, but from an area of the roster with some depth. Brito is another notable prospect gone but he’s been replaced by a pitcher who can provide more help in the near term.

The Rays have saved a bit of money by trading Lowe. They also subtracted a couple of other players but one of them was in a crowded outfield mix with some fourth outfielder tendencies, the other a clearly talented but volatile reliever.

The Pirates were widely expected to move starting pitching to try to add to their position player group and this is the second time this winter they have executed a trade with that aim. There’s a bit of risk in giving up a controllable starter for an injury-prone bat with just one year of control and a couple of fringier pieces, but they needed to do something for the lineup and free agency was proving challenging. They have gone the trade route instead and used their area of greatest strength to hopefully patch over weaknesses elsewhere.

Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported the elements of the deal. Alex Stumpf of MLB.com and Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reported that the deal was done but pending medical reviews. Rome and Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the deal was done.

Photos courtesy of Patrick Gorski, Kim Klement Neitzel, Nathan Ray Seebeck, Charles LeClaire, Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images

Pirates Designate Marco Luciano, Tsung-Che Cheng For Assignment

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The Pirates are designating outfielder Marco Luciano and infielder Tsung-Che Cheng for assignment, as first reflected on the MLB.com transaction log. Pittsburgh needed to open two spots on the 40-man roster after this morning’s three-team trade that netted Brandon Lowe, Mason Montgomery and Jake Mangum.

Luciano, 24, was a waiver claim from the Giants a couple weeks ago. It was a no-risk flier on a former top prospect who has yet to show much at the big league level. Luciano once ranked among the sport’s top 15 minor league talents at Baseball America. He was then a teenage shortstop with massive raw power upside in a 6’1″ frame. His bat has stalled against higher level pitching and he has moved to left field after struggling with errors on the dirt.

San Francisco gave Luciano limited looks in 2023 and ’24. He hit .217/.286/.304 while striking out 45 times in 126 trips to the plate. The Giants kept him in Triple-A for the entire 2025 season. Luciano connected on 23 home runs while walking more than 15% of the time, but he struck out at a near-31% rate. He whiffed on more than 35% of his swings against Triple-A pitching. While Luciano hits the ball hard when he makes contact, the swing-and-miss and limited defensive profile have dropped his stock. He’s also out of minor league options, so he’ll need to stick on an MLB roster or continue bouncing around via DFA limbo.

Cheng is also a 24-year-old who had some prospect attention not too long ago. He was never as well regarded as Luciano was early in his career, yet he ranked among Pittsburgh’s top 10 prospects as recently as 2024. A lefty-hitting infielder, he appeared in his first three big league contests in April. He went 0-7 with three strikeouts and was caught stealing in his only attempt. He spent the rest of the season at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he managed a .207/.305/.267 line with one home run in 406 plate appearances.

The Taiwanese-born Cheng is a good athlete and a versatile defender, but he has been a below-average hitter since reaching the Double-A level in 2023. He has one option year remaining. Pittsburgh has five days to trade or waive both players.

Pirates Finalize Coaching Staff

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The Pirates officially announced their coaching staff this morning. Most of the hirings had been previously reported, but the Bucs announced a few new additions. Most notable is the hiring of Thomas Whitsett as an assistant pitching coach under Bill Murphy.

Whitsett has ties to Murphy from the Houston organization. He had coached in the Astros system as a pitching coordinator and was most recently their Triple-A pitching coach in 2024. Whitsett had come through the college ranks after working at the University of Arizona. This is his first job on a big league staff.

Murphy and Whitsett are two of five new hires as Don Kelly enters his first full season as manager. The additions of bench coach Kristopher Negrón and third base coach Tony Beasley were reported last month. Pittsburgh also promoted Triple-A manager Shawn Bowman to the title of MLB field coordinator.

Chris Truby gets the title of infield coach after working with the generic title of major league coach for most of the 2025 season. Matt Hague (hitting coach), Christian Marrera and Jonny Tucker (assistant hitting coaches), Tarrik Brock (first base coach) and Miguel Perez (bullpen coach) are all back in their previous roles.

Pirates To Sign Davis Wendzel To Minor League Deal

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The Pirates and infielder Davis Wendzel have agreed to a minor league deal, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. The Boras Corporation client gets an invite to big league spring training and would make $850K if in the majors.

Wendzel, 29 in May, has a limited minor league track record to this point. He appeared in 27 games with the Rangers in 2024. He didn’t do much to impress in that time, putting up a .128/.163/.234 line in 49 plate appearances.

He’s been much better in a greater sample of playing time in the minors. Over the past three years, he has taken 1,240 trips to the plate on the farm, mostly at the Triple-A level. His 12.1% walk rate and 20% strikeout rate were both good figures and he hit 51 home runs. His combined .248/.355/.444 line in that time translated to a 105 wRC+. He also provides defensive versatility, having spent time at all four infield spots as well as left field.

The Rangers designated him for assignment in July of 2024. He was then sent to the Reds for cash. Cincinnati outrighted him a few weeks later. He spent 2025 at Triple-A Louisville as non-roster depth. He had a decent season but never got called up. He became a minor league free agent at season’s end, which allowed the Pirates to scoop him up.

The Pirates have very little settled in their infield, apart from Spencer Horwitz having first base spoken for. Prospect Konnor Griffin could take over the shortstop job in 2026 but still hasn’t played at the Triple-A level yet. Putting Griffin aside, the Pirates have a cluster of infielders including Jared Triolo, Nick Yorke, Nick Gonzales, Tsung-Che Cheng and Enmanuel Valdéz. Yorke and Cheng are still lacking in big league experience. The other three have a few seasons in the majors but have been light-hitting utility types thus far.

There’s still time to add and the Pirates have been connected to many free agents this winter but without getting anything done. Time will tell how that plays out but there’s no harm in adding some non-roster depth. If Wendzel can earn a roster spot, he has a couple of options and less than a season of service time, so he can provide roster flexibility and cheap control for multiple years.

Photo courtesy of Reggie Hildred, Imagn Images

Pirates Sign Gregory Soto

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December 16th: The Bucs have officially announced the Soto signing.

December 9th: Another reliever has come off the board. The Pirates are reportedly in agreement with left-hander Gregory Soto on a one-year, $7.75MM contract. Soto is represented by ISE Baseball. Pittsburgh had an opening on the 40-man roster and will not need to make a corresponding move.

Soto made 70 appearances between the Orioles and Mets last season. A solid first half in Baltimore led to a swap with New York around the trade deadline. Soto began his Mets tenure with nine straight scoreless outings, but stumbled down the stretch. The veteran lefty posted a 7.94 ERA in September as New York fell short of a playoff spot.

Pittsburgh will be Soto’s fifth team in the past five seasons. He debuted for Detroit in 2019 and soon became a crucial part of the team’s late-inning mix. Soto emerged as the Tigers closer by 2021, finishing with 18 saves and an All-Star nod. He racked up 30 saves the following season, earning a return trip to the Midsummer Classic. Detroit shipped him to Philadelphia following the 2022 campaign for a package headlined by Matt Vierling. After a season and a half with a mid-4.00s ERA, Soto was dealt to Baltimore at the 2024 trade deadline.

The Pirates’ bullpen ranked 18th in SIERA and 22nd in xFIP last season. The unit lost longtime closer David Bednar and top lefty Caleb Ferguson at the trade deadline. Dennis Santana performed well in multiple stints as the closer and will likely retain the role in 2026. Pittsburgh has minimal proven options behind him, particularly from the left side. Evan Sisk was the only southpaw penciled into the bullpen prior to the Soto addition.

Soto struggled mightily with free passes while in Detroit, posting a walk rate above 12% in all four seasons with the team. He’s cleaned up those control issues in recent years and recorded a career-low 8.6% walk rate last season. Soto’s upper-90s sinker has typically led to healthy ground ball rates, though he finished with a league-average GB% this past season. The sinker velocity has ticked down in each of the past three years. Opponents hit .314 against Soto’s sinker last season. Most of the damage came during his time with the Mets, and a hefty .392 BABIP is likely to blame. Soto’s slider still got whiffs at an excellent rate, so he can still be effective if the sinker bounces back.

MLBTR had predicted Soto to receive a two-year, $16MM contract. He settles for one year just shy of the $8MM average annual value. The Pirates reportedly had roughly $40MM in payroll space this winter. This won’t impact their pursuit of free agent hitters after their unsuccessful pursuit of Kyle Schwarber.

ESPN’s Jorge Castillo first reported the signing.

Phillies, Mets, Padres, Pirates Interested In Luis Robert Jr.

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TODAY: The Phillies also had recent interest in Robert, as per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon, continuing Philadelphia’s explorations in a Robert deal back at the trade deadline. Robert’s right-handed bat would be a nice complement to lefty-swingers Brandon Marsh and Justin Crawford in the Philadelphia outfield, and having an experienced center field option like Robert provides the Phillies cover if Crawford isn’t quite ready for prime time as he makes his MLB debut.

DECEMBER 13: Last month, the White Sox picked up their $20MM option on Luis Robert Jr. General manager Chris Getz signaled that the club planned on Robert being their starting center fielder in 2026. That has not stopped clubs from inquiring on his availability in trade talks, as Francys Romero of Beisbol FR reports that the Mets, Padres, and Pirates have expressed interest in acquiring Robert.

The 28-year-old batted .223/.297/.364 with an 84 wRC+ across 110 games for the White Sox this year. His first half was particularly brutal, as he only hit .185/.270/.313 with a 63 wRC+ in 70 games through June 25, when he incurred a left hamstring strain that would send him to the injured list a few days later. Robert was striking out in 30.9% of his plate appearances, only marginally improved from his 33.2% rate last year. He did have a 10.2% walk rate, but for the most part, he was continuing an offensive decline that started with an 84 wRC+ season in 2024.

His second half was a clear improvement. Robert returned from the IL on July 8 and batted .293/.349/.459 with a 124 wRC+ in his next 146 plate appearances. After experiencing poor batted ball luck in the first half of the season (.245 BABIP), he benefited from positive regression upon his return (.317 BABIP). He also dropped his strikeout rate to 16.4% in the second half, bringing that mark down to 26.0% on the season. His rebound was enough for the White Sox to hold onto Robert at the deadline, despite interest from several clubs. Unfortunately, he suffered another left hamstring strain and was placed on the IL in late August, which ultimately ended his season.

The end result was a season worth 1.3 WAR according to FanGraphs. Looking at the bigger picture, it’s clear that Robert has fallen from the height of his 2023 season, when he posted a 129 wRC+ and hit 38 home runs in a career-high 145 games while earning an All-Star nod. That was the fourth season of a six-year, $50MM extension that Robert had signed in January 2020, which was then a record for a player who had not yet debuted in the majors. Robert’s production from 2020-23 made it look like a good deal, but his drop-off in 2024-25 (second-half rebound notwithstanding) made the $20MM club option for 2026 look a lot more expensive.

In the end, the team picked up the option in lieu of paying Robert a $2MM buyout. On the surface, that $18MM net amount was a lot for an injury-prone player who had posted below-average offense for two years, especially for a rebuilding club. The move may have been motivated by the lack of standout center fielders in free agency. Trent Grisham had a strong year in 2025 but accepted the qualifying offer rather than test the market. Cody Bellinger is still available, but he is a corner outfielder at this stage of his career. Harrison Bader is an exceptional defender and will do well on a multi-year deal, although his career-best offensive showing in 2025 was partly the product of good batted ball fortune (.359).

The club is hoping that Robert will have a decent offensive showing in 2026, which would make him a solid trade candidate at next year’s deadline. Still, it’s not surprising to see teams doing their due diligence now, despite Getz’s earlier comments. Eight teams were interested in Robert at this year’s deadline, including the Mets and Padres. The Mets mostly used Tyrone Taylor in center in 2025, but he only posted a 70 wRC+ in 341 plate appearances. They attempted to upgrade by trading for Cedric Mullins, but he himself posted a 66 wRC+ in 143 plate appearances and departed for the Rays in free agency. The club has prospect Carson Benge knocking on the door. A trade for Robert would be affordable for a high-payroll club and would give them an everyday center fielder if they want to ease Benge into the majors.

The Padres and Pirates are more curious fits. The former has Jackson Merrill firmly entrenched in center. He is coming off a 3.0 fWAR season and signed an extension in April that will guarantee him $135MM through 2034. Robert could be an upgrade at DH, but that wouldn’t be the best use of him since he is still a solid defender, posting 7 OAA in center in 2025. RosterResource currently pegs San Diego for a $201MM payroll in 2026, compared to $211MM this year. Team chairman John Seidler recently indicated that the team will operate at around the same level of payroll. They would need the White Sox to cover at least half of Robert’s salary to facilitate an offseason trade, and that’s before leaving room for other additions.

Meanwhile, the Pirates have shown an increased willingness to spend this offseason. They made an $80MM offer to Josh Naylor and were willing to pay Kyle Schwarber $120-$125MM before he re-upped with the Phillies. That said, Robert is obviously not on the same level as Naylor or Schwarber. Pittsburgh also has Oneil Cruz under control through 2028. Like Robert, Cruz had a below-average offensive showing in 2025 (86 wRC+), but Cruz is much more affordable, with a projected $3.6MM salary in his first turn through arbitration compared to Robert’s guaranteed $20MM. Pittsburgh may just be doing their due diligence, though the likeliest outcome is that Robert stays put in Chicago through the offseason.

Photo courtesy of Matt Marton, Imagn Images

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