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Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 01.15.26
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Bill Lauris
12:56
Hi Jason, like most Pirate fans, I'm delighted with the players they acquired. They're still looking for a 3rd baseman. A few names have been floating around. In your opinion do they have solid chance of getting a proven power hitter? If you were Cherrington who would you want the most?
Jason Mackey
12:57
Hi Bill. Have hit on a decent amount of this. Bohm, Paredes and Jung are probably my top 3 in a trade situation. I do think/hope they'll do something. They need to, for sure. Bohm would be my preference if I was GMBC.
Ryan
12:57
Good afternoon Jason will the pirates make any trades or free agent signings before spring training i think they should trade Mitch Keller for a position player also i think this years coaching staff will be good with Kelly back GO PIRATES
Jason Mackey
12:58
Hi Ryan. I don't expect them to trade Mitch Keller. But I do expect them to make a few more trades/signings before spring training. Third baseman, pitcher, maybe a Bart trade, maybe Cutch.
John
12:58
Jason what would you think if the Pirates signed Miguel Andujar? All he does is hit .300 every year!
Jason Mackey
12:58
Wouldn't that be the ultimate irony! I think that ship has probably sailed, John.
ThanksTomlin
12:59
Hey Jason, what about Rafael Flores? Admittedly, I'm not someone who follows prospects, but as the main return for Bednar and being 25 years old, I just assumed he was going to be the next catcher. But everything I see, is he has no shot to make this team. Is he really not ready, or are we just choosing David/Bart?
Jason Mackey
1:00
Well, Davis is far better defensively and primarily catches 3 of their top 4. Flores could compete for a job. I'm curious what happens if they trade Bart. Right now, yeah, Flores is blocked. But I think he's played like 42 games at Triple-A. It's OK if he stays there a little longer.
Guest
1:00
There is absolutely no way Ben Cherington is dumb enough to go into year 7 with Triolo starting at 3rd right right?
Jason Mackey
1:01
Couple things:
I think it's more likely he placeholds at SS than starts at 3B.
I do think you'll see a decent amount of Triolo.
He was their top position player in terms of WAR last year.
I don't have a huge problem with the first one. He's a great bounce-around/depth piece.
STEVE BONANNO
1:01
Hey, Buddy.  I hope all ends will and PG stays up and running, but I will follow you wherever you go!  I just read an article where the Pirates had 60 one-run games last year, (the most in baseball), and obviously lost a lot more than they won.  With the offensive additions we've made already and hopefully more to come, I would think we would now have a stellar winning record in one-run games. How significant do you find that, and your thoughts on if that would suggest a winning record and even possibly a wild-card spot or even (gasp), a shot at winning the division.
Jason Mackey
1:02
You know how to avoid so many one-run games? Score some darn runs. That was my thought. They need to improve the offense -- still. But if they can get into the 18-20 range league-wide, with their pitching, I think they could have something pretty decent here.
Gfed
1:02
Any left handed starting pitchers the pirates are interested in?
Jason Mackey
1:04
Jose Quintana and Tyler Anderson. Haven't heard Corbin but he makes sense. There are surely others.
Cheese Chester
1:04
Should we pretty much rule out adding Suarez? Based on other additions that still need to be made I feel like his price tag would push us over our supposed payroll “ceiling” for the year. Obviously would love to have him though.
Jason Mackey
1:04
I'm not ruling it out. But I'm also not expecting it.
T
1:04
Is there any chance they sign Suarez even one percent is better then none
Jason Mackey
1:05
I mean, it's possible. Again, not likely. But they haven't crossed it off.
Joe
1:05
Do you think the opening day 3B is currently on the roster? If not, is Suarez still a realistic possibility? Or do you see a Moncada-type as more likely at this point? There's also Bohm, like you mentioned or perhaps the Paredes speculation has some merit?
Jason Mackey
1:06
I don't think he is, Joe. Folks should know where we're at with Suarez. Moncada maybe. To me, he's a fall-back option if you don't swing a trade. And honestly, what's he bringing that someone like Triolo couldn't? Doesn't make a ton of sense to me.
Wayward
1:06
Jason, there seems to be a lull around transactions right now.   Are most teams/players waiting for a few of the bigger chips to fall for the remaining options to start filling in.
Jason Mackey
1:06
Typical for this time of year, yes. Little game of chicken going on. MLB should put an end date on this thing.
Ethan
1:06
Alec Bohm has good bat-to-ball skills but he doesn't walk, doesn't hit for much power (and definitely wouldn't at PNC), and isn't very good defensively. But unless they pay up for Suarez, is Bohm realistically the best they can do at 3B?
Jason Mackey
1:07
You could argue for Jung or Paredes. Even Westburg. I'm not as down on Bohm as you. He hit .280 with a .779 OPS and 97 RBIs in 2024. That doesn't suck.
Florida Jack
1:08
Is McCutchen basically seen as a lost cause at this point with the O’Hearn signing?
Jason Mackey
1:08
I don't think so, no. But it is getting late here. Nine days until PiratesFest.
Ariba21
1:08
I know you are busy with the Pens and Pirates beats, but will you be hosting any talk shows on 93.7 in the future.  I enjoyed your hosted shows.
Jason Mackey
1:09
So I'm done with Pens. That was a pinch-hit appearance, and it's now King Jemison taking over full-time. Short answer, yes. I'll be hosting tomorrow night and Tuesday night. Was on after the Steelers game, as well.
Gil
1:09
Will the Pirates sign Eugenio Suarez?
Jason Mackey
1:09
I don't think they're going to.
B
1:09
Can we stop pretending like the pirates are spending money or actually acting differently this year lmao… The payroll they have is around the same as last year and all they did was replace the money they traded away last year at the deadline…. If they actually wanna win this year and do things differently they would go sign Suarez right now but they won’t because poor bob can’t have the payroll at a whopping 115 mil 😂
Jason Mackey
1:11
You're free to criticize them not signing Suarez or having the payroll higher than it is. I'm not here to defend them. But if they're opening day payroll in 2025 was $85 million and it's $110 million in 2026, objectively that is different. The same for the caliber of players they're employing. They added two position players who were All-Stars last year. Again, objectively, that's different than what they've done before.
Wayward
1:11
Jason, What's your take on Mangum?  Is he a true 4th OFer or is there an everyday guy in him?
Jason Mackey
1:12
I think he's more every day guy. It's why I don't care if they get another OF. Kid almost hit .300 and nearly stole 30 bags. I wanna see if he can do it again. He needs playing time to do that.
Jon
1:12
Do you see another upgrade coming in the OF? I like Mangum as a 4th OF but would like to see a LF signed or traded for while Password pushes at AAA.
Jason Mackey
1:12
I don't think it would be a big one if they did.
Gfed
1:12
the money being thrown out there for top free agents is insane. What do you foresee Paul Skenes possibly getting?
Jason Mackey
1:13
Easily upwards of $50 million per year, maybe north of $60 million. Yes, very much insane. Good for Paul. Not taking anything away from him. But definitely nuts.
Ariba21
1:13
Do you think the Pirates will add one more experienced right handed hitter to complete their lineup overhaul? If so, 3b, SS, or OF?
Jason Mackey
1:13
I do. Third base. I think SS is most likely Triolo > Griffin. OF Reynolds, Cruz, Mangum, Password, Suwinski and maybe someone else added who would jump over Suwinski, if he's not traded.
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