The Pittsburgh Pirates lost 10-6 to the Phillies on Wednesday, and Paul Skenes didn’t look like himself. It wasn’t a disaster — five innings, three earned runs, a few too many hard-hit balls — but for a guy who’s been electric all season, it was a reminder that even the best rookies have off nights.
But here’s the thing: the Pirates aren’t panicking. According to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, the front office is actually planning to buy at the trade deadline, not sell. And that tells you everything about how they see this team right now.
Morosi reported Thursday that Pittsburgh is specifically hunting for bullpen help. They want arms that miss bats. They want relievers who can lock down a lead in the seventh or eighth inning. Because right now, the Pirates have a real shot at the postseason for the first time in almost a decade, and they don’t want to waste it.
“I’ve been checking in with sources on this…and I was told they are planning to buy…and at the moment they are focused on bullpen,” Morosi said. “They want a little bit more swing and miss to help secure some games late. We all know how long it’s been for them since they’ve returned to the postseason.”
He also noted that the starting rotation is a strength, not a weakness. Skenes had a rough start, sure, but the rotation as a whole is something to build around. That’s a vote of confidence for a group that includes Mitch Keller and Jared Jones alongside Skenes.
The National League wild card race is a mess. That’s good news for Pittsburgh.
The Pirates are right in the middle of a crowded NL wild card picture. What’s interesting, Morosi said, is that some of the teams ahead of them — like the Nationals and Marlins — might actually sell at the deadline. That could push Pittsburgh up the standings without them doing anything dramatic.
“Intriguingly, some of the teams that are in that middle tier, along with the Pirates in the wild card race, might actually sell,” Morosi said. “So, the teams ahead of them may actually fall back, and with the Pirates, and bringing in Brandon Lowe, and how productive he’s been, this might be their time to buy.”
The Lowe trade already showed Pittsburgh is serious. Adding a bat like that was a signal. Now the focus is on the bullpen, and the front office is already out there looking, according to Morosi.
There’s no guarantee the Pirates pull it off. The trade deadline can be unpredictable, and buying doesn’t always mean you get the guy you want. But for a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2015, the fact that they’re even in this position — with a young ace, a competitive roster, and a front office willing to add — feels like something worth paying attention to.
Skenes didn’t have his best stuff Wednesday. But the Pirates are making moves like they believe he’ll have a lot more chances to show what he can do in October.
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