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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates had one of their most productive offseasons heading into the 2026 season, a change from how they usually conduct business.
The Pirates benefited from many of these moves, finishing 82-80 and clinching their first winning season since 2018.
It was also the first winning season under general manager Ben Cherington, who took over before the 2020 season, and will aim for postseason baseball in 2027.
Pittsburgh didn't have success with all of their moves, but after a disappointing offseason before 2025, this ended up much better.
Cherington made the best trade of his tenure and potentially the best trade in Pirates history with the additions of second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum and left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery.
Lowe was sensational for the Pirates, batting .260/.331/.493 for an OPS of .824 in 150 games, with 152 hits, 29 doubles, 35 home runs and 96 RBI in 2026.
He led the Pirates with 35 home runs, the most since Josh Bell hit in 2019 and for any second baseman in 2026. His slugging percentage and OPS were also the highest of any second baseman.
Lowe also made huge strides defensively, going from the worst fielding second basemen to a National League Gold Glove finalist.
Mangum served a vital role for the Pirates, mostly as a fourth outfielder, but also as the starting center fielder for two months when Oneil Cruz fractured his left hand.
He hit .276/.331/.363 for an OPS of .694 in 133 games, with 120 hits, 19 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 33 RBI and 23 stolen bases.
Montgomery also became a shutdown closer and was the best relief pitcher in baseball the final two months of the season.
He only gave up a run in one appearance over the final two months and only blew one of his 18 save opportunities.
Burrows struggled massively for the Astros, posting a 5.99 ERA over 17 starts and missing most of the final three months with right elbow neuritis.
Melton only played 50 games and Brito only made eight starts, with both players dealing with injuries throughout the season.
The Pirates clearly won this trade, but the Rays won't worry too much as they just won the American League pennant and can win their first World Series.
This was the first major trade the Pirates made this offseason, sending right-handed starting pitcher Johan Oviedo to the Boston Red Sox for top outfielder prospect Jhostynxon Garcia.
Pittsburgh also sent left-handed relief pitcher prospect Tyler Samaniego and 2025 fifth-round pick catcher Adonys Guzman to the Red Sox, while landing relief pitcher Jesus Travieso.
Neither team really won this trade for the primary player traded, as Garcia struggled and Oviedo again dealt with injury.
Garcia hit .167/.200/.188 for an OPS of .388 in 20 games with the Pirates, hitting no home runs and walking once to 16 strikeouts.
Oviedo pitched in just one game before going on the injured list with a right elbow strain and didn't pitch for the Red Sox the rest of the season.
The biggest winner of this trade was Samaniego, who posted a 2.66 ERA over 20 outings for Boston as a rookie.
Garcia was supposed to be the Pirates' outfield answer, someone who could field, but also provide right-handed power.
Right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez became the Pirates rookie who did that, hitting 17 home runs in 2026, and looks like he'll have that role for next season.
Garcia still has time to turn it around, but the Pirates need to see more from him at the plate in 2027.
The Pirates chose to part ways with right-handed relief pitcher Kyle Nicolas and added some infield utiltiy help in Tyler Callihan from the Cincinnati Reds.
Callihan didn't join the Pirates until shortstop Konnor Griffin suffered his first injury at the end of May and spent two months with them, hitting .211/.283/.389 for an OPS of .672 in 40 games.
He had his best game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on June 10, hitting two home runs, including a three-run home run in the eighth inning, which helped erase a 6-1 deficit and gave them a 7-6 lead in the eventual 9-8 win.
Callihan struggled from the plate after that and spent the final two months of the season back with Triple-A Indianapolis.
Nicolas was poor for the Reds in 2026, posting an 8.59 ERA over seven outings, then they designated him for assignment and traded him to the Baltimore Orioles on June 4.
The Orioles eventually DFA'd Nicolas and traded him to the Washington Nationals on July 1, and he never pitched in MLB the rest of the season.
Pittsburgh won this trade, but Callihan wasn't amazing, even if he was much better than Nicolas was this season.
The Pirates made their biggest splash in free agency in quite some time when they signed Ryan O'Hearn.
He served as their first multi-year free agent signing since right-handed starting pitcher Iván Nova, three years and $27 million on Dec. 27, 2016.
O'Hearn was also the first multi-year free agent position player signing since John Jaso, two years and $8 million on Dec. 23, 2015.
The Pirates had O'Hearn in right field to start the season after they signed designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, but eventually, they had him play first base and designated hitter.
O'Hearn was excellent in the first half of the season, hitting .288/.351/.487 for an OPS of .838 in 82 games, with 88 hits, 13 doubles, 16 home runs and 63 RBI.
This also included his three-home run and 10-RBI performance in the 12-4 win over the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park on July 7, becoming the first player in Pirates history and 11th player in MLB history to hit 10 RBI in the same game.
O'Hearn struggled in the second half of 2026, hitting .198/.268/.297 for an OPS of .565 in 28 games and dealt with a second quad injury that kept him out for six weeks from early August to mid-September.
It was a disappointing end to the campaign, but this signing was still a good one for the Pirates, who regularly don't make these kinds of moves.
O'Hearn should be in a much better situation next season, focusing more on his hitting instead of playing the outfield like he had prior.
The Pirates needed a left-handed relief pitcher heading into 2026 and they brought in Gregory Soto.
Soto was a two-time All-Star and had experience as a closer, giving the Pirates a versatile high-leverage option that could help their solid bullpen win games.
The Pirates bullpen struggled in 2026, as top arms regressed, forcing Soto into the closer role when he would've been better suited elsewhere.
Soto was responsible for a few of the Pirates' worst defeats of the year with a few blown leads that couldn't happen if they wanted to make the postseason.
He was also a strong pitcher for most of the season, with a 1.95 ERA through the end of May, a 1.74 ERA in July and a 1.32 ERA in August.
His June 13.50 ERA, and September 6.75 ERA, play a big role in Pirates fans' perceptions of him, but he was a solid addition for the Pirates bullpen, despite being erratic at times.
Soto finished with a 3.63 ERA over 67 innings and 69 appearances, 79 strikeouts to 29 walks, a .199 BAA and a 1.16 WHIP.
The Pirates need to find another left-handed high-leverage option for next season, and Soto wouldn't necessarily be a bad candidate for that role.
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