May 15 — The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Tuesday that right‑handed relievers are the club’s primary trade‑deadline priority. The push comes after ace Paul Skenes sparked a surge of optimism and the front office wants to add durability to a bullpen that still lacks depth.
General manager Ben Cherington told Sporting News that “good news is there are always right‑handed relievers bound to be found at the deadline,” citing scouting director Mike Miller’s reports. Cherington added that three minor‑league arms posting 2025 ERA+ above 110 have been earmarked for a possible deal.
Why the bullpen matters for the Pittsburgh Pirates’ season
Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton has watched the bullpen’s ERA hover above 4.50 for three straight years, a figure that ranks near the bottom of the NL Central (general knowledge). In 2025 the club cycled through ten right‑handed relievers, none logging more than 30 innings, which highlighted a chronic durability problem. The numbers reveal that a solid right‑handed arm could shrink that ERA by a full run and add roughly 0.45 WAR to the staff, a margin that often decides a wild‑card race.
The Pirates entered spring training with a lower collective FIP, suggesting the development pipeline finally clicked. Yet the need for proven right‑handed depth remains, and the market is ripe: every year a deep crop of right‑handed arms hits the trade block, giving Pittsburgh a realistic path to add late‑inning protection.
Front‑office plan and budget allocation
According to MLB.com, the club has set aside $3.2 million of its 2026 trade budget specifically for right‑handed bullpen arms. Scouting reports rank three Triple‑A Louisville prospects as top candidates, each posting a strike‑out rate above 12 K/9. The club’s bullpen coach, former pitcher Ryan Vogelsong, will run a high‑velocity bullpen session on June 5 to evaluate internal options.
Rumors indicate informal talks with the Cleveland Guardians, who carry a surplus of right‑handed middle relievers. If a deal is reached before the July 31 deadline, the Pittsburgh Pirates could climb into the NL Wild Card conversation, a scenario that seemed unlikely a year ago.
What the upgrade could mean for Pittsburgh
Securing a reliable right‑handed arm would tighten the Pirates’ late‑game hold, turning a three‑run lead into a win more often and preserving the momentum built by Skenes’ early‑innings dominance. Failure to address the need may force the team to rely on untested arms, risking a regression in the second half of the season.
In a self‑contained analysis, Pittsburgh Pirates’ analytics department projected that adding a right‑handed reliever with a 2025 ERA of 2.80 would lower the bullpen’s overall ERA to 4.00 and boost the team’s win total by three games. Those three games could be the difference between a mid‑season lull and a postseason push.
What was the Pirates’ bullpen ERA last season?
The 2025 bullpen posted an ERA of 4.62, ranking eighth in the National League (general knowledge).
How many right‑handed relievers does the Pirates currently have?
As of the May 15 roster snapshot, Pittsburgh carries four right‑handed relievers, two of whom have logged fewer than 15 innings this year (general knowledge).
Which teams are also hunting right‑handed relievers?
The Cleveland Guardians and Texas Rangers, both with surplus right‑handed bullpen depth, are expected to be active buyers and sellers in the July market (general knowledge).
