Pittsburgh Pirates receive grim forecast for 2025 season

The Pittsburgh Pirates enter the offseason as one of the most controversial teams.

Armed with a rising starting rotation, including budding star Paul Skeens, how the Pirates improve their offense and bullpen will determine how good they can be in 2025. Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller predicted the Pirates would take another step back, going 74–88 and finishing in last place for the second straight season.

“After six straight seasons with a winning percentage below .470, are the Pirates finally ready to spend the money and shine?” Miller writes. “The last time they had a young ace, they surrounded Gerrit Cole with enough talent to make the postseason three years in a row. One big roster upgrade could be all they need to get Paul Skins in there.”

If Pirates if they missed the playoffs, it would extend their streak of missing the postseason to 10 years. Pittsburgh’s current drought is the second-longest in baseball, behind only the Los Angeles Angels.

If the Pirates are going to climb out of the basement of the National League Central, they need to add a couple of hitting bats this offseason, whether that be by signing a free agent or making a trade. The Bleacher report also mentions Pirates as one of the best landing spots for Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez.

A player like Hernandez or Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker would be exactly what Pittsburgh needed after its offense finished in the top 10 in nearly every major hitting category. Whether owner Bob Nutting is willing to spend the money to acquire a player of his caliber remains a major question.

PiratesThe biggest free agent in franchise history was left-handed pitcher Francisco Liriano, whom they signed to a three-year, $39 million contract in 2014.

Unless Pittsburgh adds proven bats or reliable weapons to the bullpen, it could very well finish in last place again. And if the Pirates miss the playoffs again, it could mean the end of the current regime.

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