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Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 10.09.25
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Jason Mackey
11:29
We're back! How about that? Welcome, everyone, to my weekly ... Pirates chat. First one of these since the move. Plenty to discuss. You know the drill. Fire away whenever. I'll be back at noon to answer. Thanks so much.
12:03
And away we go ...
Aces High
12:03
Hello Jason. Is there really any hope with this clueless regime and penny pinching ownership?? Is it really too much to ask to spend a little on a few bats to protect Cruz and Reynolds in the batting order. Maybe then they see a few more pitches to hit and not get a steady diet of breaking balls. Here's hoping more planes and chants are coming in 2026!!
Jason Mackey
12:04
Could a Pirates chat start any other way? I get the frustration, believe me. I don't have a magic answer or a wand to change how they operate. I do think, however, that they can win with this group, provided they have a good offseason. Gotta add bats. They're out there. We'll get into more during the chat, I'm sure.
JeffWV
12:04
Hi Jason! Welcome back to the Pirates beat! What do you think is the most important position for the Buccos to improve, and who are some potential targets during the offseason, either by trade or FA signing? Thanks!
Jason Mackey
12:06
Easy one there: LF and 3B. Oh, and thank you. Great to be back. Those were the least productive offensively in MLB. Targets ... Jordan Westburg would make a lot of sense as a trade option. Free agent-wise, Eugenio Suarez, though I think he either stays or has better options. Harrison Bader would make sense, he doesn't stay in Philly. I also like Max Kepler a lot. Working on a piece about this stuff for Sunday.
J D
12:06
Jason, no kidding but the Pirates should give all their players an eye exam before reporting to training camp.  You can't hit the ball if you can't see it!
Jason Mackey
12:07
They do. Maybe a better or different one. But they do.
Cullen
12:07
Hey Jason, congrats on your return to the beat, for my money youre the best in the biz. On one of your recent radio shows you were taking the temperature of Pirates fans sentiments about the team and I wanted to chime in. To me, this is a make or break offseason for my fandom. I already canceled my MLBtv subscription and how much baseball I consume will depend on what Ben does this offseason. For me, the Pirates need to add 3 legit bats minimum, and at least 2 back end relievers. I don't care if they have to trade Keller or another young pitcher for one and then overpay for the other 2 but this is not a big ask. I'm not even asking for us to sign an Alonso, Bregman, Tucker or the like just 2 above average hitters on a multi year deal. You said we have roughly $45 million to spend and I'd assume we might have some more if we trade Keller. If Ben has another offseason where our big get is Tommy Pham and we spread around the money on guys we're praying for a bounce back or outlier season I'm done.
Jason Mackey
12:09
Thanks, Cullen. Great to be back. I don't blame you. Vote with your dollar. If you don't agree with them, don't support them. I'd tell you the same thing about Midas or Giant Eagle. Ha. You're not wrong for thinking that way, either. Nobody is asking the Pirates to be the Yankees. There's a clear offensive deficiency, and they didn't address it by swapping out the GM or the hitting staff.

So ... how do they think it's gonna change? I'll go with them some on internal improvement. It's not nothing. But you need to add more offensive talent. Plain and simple.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
12:09
Hi Jason thanks for the chats! Don't see how different next year will be with the same management group in place. Dumpster dive for a bat and they will trade Keller to get rid of his salary. Tell me why next year will be different? Please!!!
Jason Mackey
12:09
I'd sure as hell hoping they're not dumpster diving for anything. They should sign a real bat. If they're going to trade Keller -- which I get -- they need to maximize return and essentially flip it into the position player version of Mitch.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
12:10
Tough call on whether they keep Cutch. Great player and a great locker room presence but is he holding anyone back in getting a better DH in the lineup? I don't see any obvious answers. What say you?
Jason Mackey
12:11
I think it's important that this ends the right way. My opinion: You try to do it for, say, $3 million, a reduced role and a public acknowledgment that this is it. I'd also really hope they make significant improvements to the offense this offseason to where that makes sense. Meaning go get several hitters better than Cutch at this point, which should have happened 2 years ago.
Jim
12:12
Now that we know TWMTIB is returning for year 7 of their no victorys tour, can we actually expect a different approach to the offseason? Will they actually try to add a legit bat or two? Are they really this tone deaf when it comes to the city and fans?
Jason Mackey
12:13
TWMTIB? Help me out. I'm sure there's a Travis Williams reference in there, but I don't get the rest of it.

I would sure hope so, Jim. If they can't sense the frustration or the need to do things differently, as you said, that's Hall of Fame-level lack of awareness.
Gene
12:13
Do you think the Pirates acquire a catcher in FA or roll with the ones they have.
Jason Mackey
12:14
Probably roll with the ones they have, Gene. They have much greater needs.
The Eman
12:14
If you were Pirate GM, what would be your trade (realistic) to most help the team?
Jason Mackey
12:15
If we're talking strictly trades, I'd probably try and flip Mitch Keller into pitching via the Orioles. Either Coby Mayo or Jordan Westburg -- with other stuff around it -- would do the trick. JJ Bleday from the Athletics also interests me. But it would be below a Baltimore bat.
The Eman
12:15
if you could bring back Jerry Garcia to play just one song, what would it be?
Jason Mackey
12:16
Ooooh ... good one, Eman. Maybe "I Know You Rider" ... but has to be the '89/'90 evolution with so much Jerry emotion. Also tough to pick that over Sugaree, Franklin's or Begonias. Now I'm gonna be pondering this the rest of the day.
Cullen
12:16
I know you're just coming back to the beat, but what would you put the likelihood of extending Konnor? Are both sides open to it? Would a possible extension look more like Roman Anthony's or Bobby Witt Jr?
Jason Mackey
12:18
More like Anthony's. I don't think either side would reject it, Cullen. But I could also see the concerns looking something like this:

Pirates: We have a bunch of stuff to fix offensively, there isn't a ton of money to play around with, and we need to address immediate needs first.

Griffin's camp: What's the $$$ amount and number of years? Enough to give up prime-earning opportunities? The Chourio deal got done because it made sense. If the Pirates were in the ballpark, I could see this happening, too. But oftentimes they are not in the ballpark.
79 Buccos
12:18
What are the plans for Henry Davis this offseason?  His defense is so good, but if he can't figure out his swing and his hitting problems, then what?  Our pitching staff needs him back behind the plate.
Jason Mackey
12:19
Yeah, it's an obvious one, but fix the swing. I'm no hitting coach, but I'd like to see Henry get shorter to the ball. I think it's one reason why heat has given him issues. Logistically, wouldn't surprise me if he went back to Driveline or somewhere similar. It's probably worth looking at everything at this point. He just hasn't hit up to his capabilities at this level.
Greg in Greenville
12:19
Jason, are the Pirates simply hoping for a shut down in 2027, and that's why they kept GM Ben, and aren't going to make any major moves until they see how the labor negotiations turn out?
Jason Mackey
12:20
I don't know if anyone is hoping for a shutdown. But many are expecting it. And, yeah, I think that does probably have something to do with the decision. Better to go this route than a massive upheaval prior to a potential work stoppage.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
12:20
Is getting Cruz to play to his potential the biggest hope for the Bucs? While he has unbelievable power, he is hitting .200! Is there a hitting coach that can be hired to help him with his loopy swing? If am pitching to him, he does not see a fast ball. Against lefties, all they have to do is throw him a sweeping curve ball and he strikes out. What can be done with him?
Jason Mackey
12:23
They just finished with 71 wins. They have a lot of big hopes. Or at least I'd hope. But, yeah, it's a huge storyline with them, as I outlined yesterday in my column.

There is, yes. But it's not just the length of his swing. He's 6-7. He's gonna have a long swing. Should also be approach. I'd let him be aggressive. He's gonna strike out. He's also gonna impact the baseball.

I would be hammering the heck out of maturity and focus with Cruz. That stuff has been acceptable. But I think they would be better-served to stop tinkering with him and trying to make him a deep-in-counts guy. He's not.
demosthenes98
12:23
Is there any reason--any reason at all--for any optimism about the Pirates' future that cannot be immediately and completely countered by five words--"Bob Nutting owns the team"?
Jason Mackey
12:24
If I say there is, that'll be interpreted as a defense of Nutting. I don't need or want the smoke.

You can win in MLB on a budget, if you're smart. They haven't been smart enough lately. They haven't done small-market stuff well. If they stop doing that stuff, they can win here, yes. It's also a lot easier said than done.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
12:24
Are there any legitimate bats that can be had in free agency or a trade that can be acquired this offseason? Plenty of pitching prospects to dangle out there to sweeten a trade. Is it possible or a pipe dream?
Jason Mackey
12:26
Yes. Outlined some above: Westburg, Bleday, Mayo, Kepler, Bader, Suarez, perhaps even Grisham. They're out there. Whether they do anything or not, that's another question.
Bob
12:26
Why should we as fans not just see O'Neil Cruz as Gregory Polanco 2.0?  Big talent, small production.
Jason Mackey
12:27
You're welcome to see Cruz however you want. They share a lot of similar traits. They're also different people, just like you and I are different people. There's no rule that says one will always be like another. For $3.6 million, I'll hear Cruz and see what he has. If he stinks again, I'm out. But I'll give him a chance in '26. That's all I need to determine right now.
Jlm
12:28
Do you think Nutting will actually spend the savings from Bednar and Hayes to get a few bats
Jason Mackey
12:28
I think he will spend that money, yes. Do I think he's going to raise payroll in a substantive way? No.
Jimbo
12:28
Jason, how do you think the projected work stoppage in 2027 will affect free agency for this for the pirates and all of baseball?
Jason Mackey
12:29
Big question, Jimbo. The obvious answer would be limiting the length of deals. Same time, I think a bunch of teams -- including the Pirates -- will treat 2026 as its own year, then worry about '27 when it happens.
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