The Pittsburgh Pirates are suddenly looking like a team with a very intriguing pitching staff, and honestly, it’s about time! With the 2024 Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes leading the charge, flanked by a promising Jared Jones and the ever-reliable Mitch Keller, the Pirates’ rotation could soon be one of the best in baseball. But here’s the question that will determine whether the Pirates can finally snap their nine-year playoff drought: is a killer rotation enough to turn the corner?  

The short answer? Maybe, but probably not on its own. While pitching is often the key to playoff success, the Pirates still need a lot more from their lineup to compete in a crowded NL playoff race. The lineup needs to step up, and that’s where the challenge lies. Can they balance out their pitching brilliance with consistent offense? If the Pirates can make a few more moves and develop their bats, 2025 might just be the year they break the curse. If not, it’ll be another season where they’re on the cusp but ultimately fall short.  

The Pittsburgh Pirates only have Paul Skenes  

Erik Klatz didn’t hold back when talking about the Pittsburgh Pirates’ struggles, and honestly, who can blame him? On the Foul Territory podcast, Klatz pointed out the glaring issues the team faced, particularly with their pitching depth. “They didn’t even know if they were going to let Paul Skenes pitch the rest of the year. How are you going to continue to win?” he asked. And he’s got a point. With the Pirates’ season hanging in the balance, not having a clear game plan for a guy like Skenes—who was their future ace—feels like a missed opportunity. Throw in the injury troubles with Jared Jones and a pitching staff that seemed perpetually on edge, and it’s no wonder the club fell short. 

Klatz didn’t stop there, driving home the idea that this whole mess wasn’t just on the coaching staff or the players. He made it clear that the problems run much deeper—“It’s all ownership driven, hamstrung.” That’s a shot directly at the top, implying that the decisions—or lack thereof—are coming from ownership, restricting the team’s ability to truly compete. It’s one thing for a team to have off years or bad breaks, but when the issue is a lack of commitment from ownership to truly go for it, that’s a whole different level of frustration. The Pirates might have the pieces, but if they’re not getting the support from the very top, it’s hard to see how they can break through.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are getting some business done 

The squad locked up four arbitration-eligible players for the 2025 season. Not exactly the fireworks we were hoping for, but hey, it’s a start. On Thursday, the team agreed to terms with David Bednar, Joey Bart, Colin Holderman, and Bailey Falter, securing them all for another go-around. Bednar, the big-ticket item, will make a cool $5.9 million, making him the priciest of the bunch. Not surprising, given it’s his second trip through arbitration and his track record, including those two All-Star appearances. 

Even with a rough 2024, where his ERA ballooned to 5.77 and injuries sidelined him for chunks of the season, the Pirates are banking on a Bednar bounce-back. Let’s hope that general manager Ben Cherington and manager Derek Shelton are correct because Bednar is a true game-changer when he is playing. The other members of the group also received their deals: relievers Colin Holderman and Bailey Falter will each receive $1.5 million and $2.222 million, while catcher Joey Bart, who is attempting to establish himself in Pittsburgh, will receive $1.75 million.  

Good numbers for players who aren’t yet well-known but have shown promise. What about Johan Oviedo and Dennis Santana?  There will likely be some back and forth as they exchange arbitration figures because the Pirates were unable to agree with those two. Overall, the Pirates’ actions aren’t particularly noteworthy, but they are taking the necessary steps to manage their star players and, ideally, assemble a more formidable team by 2025.