Penguins Acquire Yegor Chinakhov from Blue Jackets

By Jason Shetler 

p/c: Jason Mowry

The Pittsburgh Penguins made an interesting move on Monday, as they acquired Columbus Blue Jackets right winger Yegor Chinakhov. In return, Columbus is receiving veteran forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second round pick and a 2027 third round pick.

Chinakhov was a first round selection (21st overall) by the Blue Jackets in the 2020 NHL Draft. 

During the 2023-24 season, Chinakhov was beginning to emerge; recording 16 goals in 53 games. However, it’s been a struggle since, as he’s put up just 10 goals combined with last season and this season.

Heinen had split his time with the Penguins and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. While with Pittsburgh, he had only one goal in 13 games played. Heinen has a cap hit of $2,250,000. 

The Penguins will be taking a flyer on Chinakhov, who had been highly-touted in the Blue Jackets’ organization. Kyle Dubas managed to turn a liability in Heinen, along with two draft picks, which were originally the Blues’ and Capitals’ respectively, into a young forward that really needed a change of scenery.

What Could the Pirates Outfield Look Like to Open the 2026 Season?

The outfield for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025 vastly underperformed offensively.

Bryan Reynolds is coming off his worst season statistically, while Oneil Cruz’s production fell off a cliff in the second half of the season. Tommy Pham ended up being the Pirates’ most consistent hitting outfielder last season - practically by default.

Earlier in the offseason, general manager Ben Cherington made a surprising decision by tendering a contract to Jack Suwinski, who has been replacement level each of the last two seasons. Evidently, the organization still feels Suwinski can recapture his success from 2023, where he hit a career-high 26 home runs and was a three-win player offensively.

Looking to trade from surplus, the Pirates shipped out right-hander Johan Oviedo to the Boston Red Sox, as part of a deal headlined by outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia. The 23-year-old Garcia is a consensus Top 100 prospect.

More outfield depth was added to the mix, when Pittsburgh acquired Jake Mangum - one of the pieces involved in the Brandon Lowe deal.

A couple weeks ago, it was reported that the Pirates had expressed interest in Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert. In 2023, Robert was one of the best all-around center fielders in baseball, but because of injuries, hasn’t been the same performer since. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was told that White Sox officials are willing to take on at least half of the $20 million Robert will be owed in 2026. Even if the White Sox were to take on part of Roberts’ remaining money, the Pirates probably wouldn’t have to give up anything real significant.

There was speculation that Bryan Reynolds could be moved to the DH role, but with the recent signing of Ryan O’Hearn, Reynolds will remain in right field. Oneil Cruz stays in center field; unless they make a trade for Robert and Cruz moves over to left field. If not, then there would be a competition in left field consisting of Jake Mangum, Jack Suwinski, and Jhostynxon Garcia. Heading into spring training, Mangum should have the inside track. Suwinski is out of options, so he would need to make the active roster. Garcia might just be the Pirates’ biggest X-Factor among hitters vying for a spot. It’s possible manager Don Kelly could go with a Mangum/Garcia platoon in left to open the season, but given that Garcia is only 23, and has two options remaining, he could be sent to AAA, in order to get regular at-bats for the Indianapolis Indians.

Pirates Reportedly Showing Interest In Yoán Moncada

p/c: Alex Gallardo 

Francys Romero of Beisbol FR is reporting that the Pittsburgh Pirates are interested in veteran free agent third baseman Yoan Moncada. Romero says the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and Toronto Blue Jays have also shown interest.

Moncada debuted in 2016 with the Boston Red Sox, before getting traded to the White Sox in the Chris Sale deal.

The Cuban born infielder spent eight seasons on the South Side of Chicago, with his best campaign coming in 2019, when put up a .915 OPS, while registering a bWAR of 5.1.

Last offseason, the Angels inked Moncada to a one-year deal for $5 million.

Although he dealt with thumb and knee injuries, Moncada managed to have a respectable season offensively, as he put up a slash line of .234/.336/.448, along with a 116 OPS+. Defensively however, he had a career worst -10 Defensive Runs Saved at third base.

The Pirates could look to upgrade third base; even with the additions of Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn. Pittsburgh is projected to have Jared Triolo as an internal option. 

Eugenio Suarez’s name continues to pop up, in regards to the Pirates’ third base search. Another name the Bucs have expressed in is Kazuma Okamoto, who has until January 4th to sign on with an MLB club. 

Could Will Horcoff Become the Penguins’ Next Big Star?

Entering the 2025 NHL Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins had a total of 13 picks. For the first time since 1984, Mario Lemieux’s draft year, Pittsburgh received three picks in the first round.

The Penguins chose Ben Kindel 11th overall, who is already making his presence felt in Pittsburgh. Going 22nd was Bill Zonnon. After getting the Los Angeles King’s first round pick (24th overall), Will Horcoff was taken with that selection.

A native of Edmonton, Horcoff has a hockey pedigree, as he’s the son of Shawn Horcoff, who spent 15 seasons in the NHL, including 12 with the Edmonton Oilers.

The 18-year-old Horcoff is opening a ton of eyes, with a breakout sophomore season for the University of Michigan. In 20 games to this point, he’s scored an NCAA leading 19 goals, while his 28 points are currently tied for second most in the nation.

Horcoff is an intimidating, 6’5 center at 201 pounds, with room to fill out. Along with an excellent hockey IQ, Horcoff is a two-way presence; combining a powerful shot, along with being a disrupter on the defensive side.

Before the season, most scouts felt Horcoff would be a future middle-of-the-pack center, but now he’s beginning to emerge as a potentially elite prospect.

Penguins president of hockey operations, Kyle Dubas, is slowly but surely transitioning the team into a youth movement, with the likes of Rutger McGroarty, Ben Kindel, and Ville Koivunen.

While the Penguins have yet to sign Horcoff to an entry-level contract, the expectation seems to be that he could be sent to the AHL as early as next season, with perhaps even getting the opportunity to make Pittsburgh’s Opening Night roster.

Once Horcoff officially signs with the Penguins, he should be the top prospect in the organization, and a chance to become a franchise-altering forward at the NHL level.

Assessing the Pirates Signing of Ryan O’Hearn

In their attempt to improve the lineup for the 2026 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates are signing DH/1B Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year deal worth $29 million, this according to Robert Murray of FanSided. It’s the first time the Pirates have signed a free agent to a multi-year deal since Ivan Nova in December of 2016. 

O’Hearn spent the last three seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. This past season was O’Hearn’s first All-Star selection. In 361 plate appearances, he posted a .283/.374/.463 line with Baltimore.

At the trade deadline, the Orioles dealt O’Hearn to the San Diego Padres as part of an eight-player deal. 

In 50 games for the Padres, O’Hearn had a slash of .276/.350/.387.

Assessment of the signing: After the Pirates upgraded second base with the trade of Brandon Lowe last week, they also upgrade the DH role with the addition of O’Hearn.

On paper, O’Hearn gives the Pirates a productive designated hitter that they haven’t had since MLB fully implemented the DH in both leagues in 2022.

For Ben Cherington, it’s another solid move to make the Pirates’ substantially better next season.

Breaking Down the Brandon Lowe Trade

p/c: Kim Klement 

The Pittsburgh Pirates have made their biggest move of the offseason to this point. According to both Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Pirates are acquiring second baseman Brandon Lowe, pitcher Mason Montgomery, and outfielder Jake Magnum, as part of a three-team trade with the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays. Mike Burrows is being sent from Pittsburgh to Houston, while Tampa Bay is getting outfielder Jacob Melton and pitcher Anderson Brito from the Astros.

Lowe was a two-time All-Star with the Rays. In 2025, he hit 31 home runs and was a three-win player offensively (3.3 oWAR). Earlier in the offseason, Tampa Bay exercised Lowe’s club option for 2026 worth $11.5 million. 

Montgomery made 57 appearances this past season in the Rays’ bullpen. The 25-year-old southpaw had a 5.67 ERA. However, the FIP played up better at 3.92, and he recorded 63 strikeouts in 46 innings pitched (12.3 K/9). Montgomery is a flamethrower; registering 98.7 mph on the fastball, along with a decent slider that averages 89.7. 

Magnum was a rookie with the Rays this year. He hit .296 and stole 27 bases, but only posted a .698 OPS in 428 plate appearances.

Burrows was a former 11th round draft selection of the Pirates in 2018. As a rookie, Burrows pitched well, as he put up an ERA of 3.94 in 96 innings of work.

Assessment of the deal: The Pirates instantly make their lineup better with the addition of Lowe, who is a 30-homer second baseman. They also get a hard-throwing, lefty bullpen arm in Montgomery that can run it up to 100, and a speedy/solid defensive outfielder in Magnum.

Although the Astros are receiving a steady pitcher that throws a good fastball and a plus changeup in Burrows, with years of control, it’s surprising that he’s the only player Houston is getting. To make things more interesting, the Rays are taking away from the Astros by acquiring Melton and Brito.

On paper, it’s a stellar move for Pittsburgh, and objectively the best trade Ben Cherington has made as Pirates general manager.

Penguins Must Expedite Youth Movement Sooner Rather Than Later

p/c: Justin Berl 

For the first time in 10 years, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a new voice behind the bench in Dan Muse, who president of hockey operations, Kyle Dubas, hired based on his strong, developmental background. 

Dubas has made an effort to replenish the system, especially through the draft. The 2025 draft is already looking promising, with the likes of 11th overall pick Ben Kindel, who has quickly made an impact with the Penguins, and 24th overall pick Will Horcoff; arguably the best college forward this season, as he leads the nation with 19 goals for the University of Michigan.

Pittsburgh got off to a pleasantly surprising start in October; going 8-4 with two of the four losses coming in the shootout. 

Since then however, it’s been a struggle for the Pens. The month of December in particular has lefty plenty to be desired. During their last home stand, the Penguins lost five games, including a loss to the Anaheim Ducks, in which they allowed a game-tying goal with 0.1 seconds, as well as a pair of third period collapses to the San Jose Sharks and Utah Mammoth. On Thursday night, Pittsburgh was shutout 4-0 by the Ottawa Senators; extending their losing streak to seven.

The Penguins are now at a point where they need to find solutions. So how do they go about it?

While the team is still in the mix in a very wide open Eastern Conference, the roster is currently stagnant. Veteran forwards like Kevin Hayes and Danton Heinen have been liabilities more than assets. It would be preferable to place both on waivers, and call up Tristan Broz and Avery Hayes. 

Harrison Brunicke was with the big club, before being loaned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Penguins should recall Brunicke, and give him an extensive look on the blue line. 

Rookie goalie Sergei Murashov got his feet wet some with Pittsburgh. After playing well in net through the first month and half of the season, Arturs Silovs has dealt with major regression. Given that Murashov is considered the Penguins’ goaltender of the future, he should rejoin the team and be paired alongside the recently acquired Stuart Skinner.

I imagine at some point down the line that Kyle Dubas would receive competitive trade offers for Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson - perhaps as early as the March 6th deadline.

But as for right now, shaking up the roster with more younger and higher upside talent is the way the Penguins should go. Even if the team continues to scuffle, it’s more preferable to see rookies go through growing pains than it would be to keep inserting declining veterans.

Do Pirates Have to Trade Mitch Keller This Offseason?

p/c: Phillip G. Pavely 

Despite Mitch Keller being the most available starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, he was the not the first to be dealt this offseason, as the Bucs traded Johan Oviedo to the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia.

Surprisingly, there were no trade rumors surrounding Keller at the Winter Meetings. The only Pirates pitcher that drew reported interest earlier this week was Mike Burrows with the Houston Astros.

Given the perceived minimal interest in Keller to this point, do the Pirates feel the need to move the veteran right-hander?

Keller has seemingly been a trade candidate since last offseason. Leading up to the trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs had interest, with rumors that Pittsburgh wanted Cubs top prospect Owen Caissie to headline the deal. There was also a report from the Post-Gazette’s Noah Hiles that the Pirates and Orioles had the most talks regarding Keller heading into the final days of the deadline.

Right when the season had concluded, I wrote an article examining Keller’s complicated trade value going into the offseason.

2025 was respectable for Keller; posting a 4.19 ERA and a 4.02 FIP. He continued to be durable, as he posted his third consecutive season of 30 or more starts. However, it’s three straight years in which Keller has scuffled in the second half, which would certainly affect his value.

Keller will be owed about $55.7 million over the next three seasons, and $16.9 million in 2026. 

Oviedo got the Pirates a Top 100 prospect in García, but Oviedo has two more years of control, at a much cheaper cost than Keller. It’s not to say Pittsburgh wouldn’t be able to acquire a bonafide prospect for Keller, but it would need to be like the Oviedo trade, where they deal from surplus to get a player in a positional logjam.

For the right price, the Pirates can obtain a quality, established bat for a controllable, young starter; such as Braxton Ashcraft, Mike Burrows, Hunter Barco, or Bubba Chandler - the last of which being very unlikely.

While Keller is a steady innings eater, he’s nothing more than an above average starter, and the remainder of his contract is starting to get pricey. If the Pirates aren’t going to land an impactful, position player this offseason for Keller, then keeping him around wouldn’t be the worst option.

Assessing the Tristan Jarry Trade

p/c: Charles LeClaire 

The first major transaction of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2025-26 season happened on Friday, as the Pens traded goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers for goalie Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second round draft pick. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman first reported that a deal was close.

Jarry spent parts of 10 seasons in Pittsburgh. There were certainly ups and downs for Jarry - from being a two-time All-Star to his shortcomings in the playoffs and even a demotion to the minors. In 14 games this season, Jarry had a .909 save percentage, along with a goals against average of 2.66.

Poulin was a first round selection of the Penguins in 2019. The 24-year-old forward played in only 15 games over parts of four seasons. 

Skinner had been in net with Edmonton for six seasons, including an All-Star campaign in 2022-23. This season, Skinner is posting an .891 save percentage and a 2.83 GAA in 23 games.

Kulak is a 12-year veteran, who had played five seasons with the Oilers. The 31-year-old defenseman has a 38 blocked shots in 31 games this season.

Assessment of the trade: For Edmonton, they get Jarry, who they hope can return to his All-Star form, as well as Poulin - a former first rounder that really needed a change of scenery.

From the Penguins’ perspective, Skinner’s expiring contract helps cover some of Jarry’s remaining money for this season. Kulak provides Pittsburgh a veteran defenseman with good shot blocking ability.

Although the Jarry extension was perceived by many as a mistake, on the part of Kyle Dubas, he got himself out from under the contract by selling high on Jarry. Last season, Jarry was practically untradeable, so for Dubas to rid himself of the deal, and get back draft capital (second round pick for 2029), is a solid move.

Pirates to Sign Gregory Soto

p/c: Megan Briggs 

While the Pittsburgh Pirates may have lost out on Kyle Schwarber, who re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, they didn’t come out of the Winter Meetings empty-handed. According to ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, the Pirates have agreed to sign veteran left-handed reliever Gregory Soto to a one-year deal worth $7.75 million.

Soto spent his first four seasons with the Detroit Tigers, where he was an All-Star in 2021 and 2022. 

Starting out this year with the Baltimore Orioles, Soto put up a 3.96 ERA, along with a FIP of 3.33 in 45 appearances.

On July 25th, the Orioles traded Soto to the New York Mets. In 25 games for the Mets, he posted a 4.50 ERA, but had a better 3.55 FIP.

Opposing batters hit Soto’s sinker in 2025 at a .314 clip. However, he limited hitters to a batting average against of .156 on the slider and .111 on the sweeper. Combined with both secondary pitches, Soto induced a whiff rate of 50.6%.

The Pirates were in search of lefty relief help this offseason, and get one of the better arms on the market in Soto. It’s likely he will be used in a setup role to Dennis Santana.

Pirates Claim Marco Luciano from Giants

The Pittsburgh Pirates have claimed IF/OF Marco Luciano from the San Francisco Giants, the team announced on Friday.

Luciano was considered a prized international signing out of the Dominican Republic by the Giants, as he inked a $2.6 million dollar bonus in 2018.

From 2020-2024, Luciano became a consensus Top 100 prospect in baseball; ranking as high as #8 by Baseball Prospectus in 2021.

MLB Pipeline rated Luciano the Giants top position player prospect in 2023 and 2024.

This past season, Luciano slashed .214/.335/.413, along with 23 home runs, in 555 plate appearances with AAA Sacramento. The strikeouts were on the high side at 30.6%. 

Luciano will enter 2026 out of minor league options. It’s possible that he could compete with Pirates top prospect Konnor Griffin for the starting shortstop job out of spring training, or at the very least, a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Breaking Down the Jhostynxon Garcia-Johan Oviedo Trade

On Thursday night, the Pittsburgh Pirates made their first significant move of the offseason; acquiring outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia and pitcher Jesus Travieso from the Boston Red Sox for pitchers Johan Oviedo, Tyler Samaniego, and catcher Adonys Guzman.

Jhostynxon (pronounced Joes-tin-son) Garcia, who’s nickname is “The Password”, because of the difficulty spelling of his first name, is a Top 100 prospect by MLB Pipeline (#85), and was Boston’s third ranked prospect.

The profile on Garcia is 25-30 home run power, with an aggressive approach that could lead to a high number of strikeouts. Defensively, he’s considered average in center field, but due to his plus arm strength, will likely stick in right field.

Travieso was signed by the Red Sox out of Venezuela in January of 2024.

At 5’11, 140 pounds, Travieso pitched to a 2.77 ERA in 39 innings this past season with the FCL Red Sox.

Oviedo returned to the Pirates this year, after missing all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery. 

In nine starts for the Bucs, Oviedo posted an ERA of 3.57, along with a .182 batting average against.

Samaniego was a 15th round draft selection of Pittsburgh in 2021 out of the University of South Alabama.

The 26-year-old lefty spent most of 2025 pitching for AA Altoona, where he put a 3.08 ERA in 20 relief appearances.

Because Samaniego had been Rule 5 eligible, the Pirates added him to the 40-man roster.

Guzman was taken by Pittsburgh as a fifth round choice out of the University of Arizona in the 2025 draft.

The native of the Bronx appeared in just one game for Low A Bradenton; going 2-for-5 with a home run.

Assessment of the deal: On the surface, it’s a trade where each team dealt from surplus. The Pirates have a plethora of quality starting pitching, while the Red Sox had a logjam of talented outfielders. 

For Garcia, it was going to be difficult finding a spot in Boston’s crowded outfield, and for the Pirates, they obtain an MLB ready corner outfielder with plenty of offensive upside. Meanwhile, the Red Sox add to the rotation with Oviedo, who when healthy, has shown the ability to be a good #4 starter. 

It’s a good deal for both sides, and a nice start for the Pirates, in their effort to improve the offense this offseason.

Pirates Reportedly Have “Big Interest” In Kazuma Okamoto

p/c: Darren Yamashita

The Pittsburgh Pirates, along with several other teams, are showing “big interest” in international free agent, Kazuma Okamoto, this according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.

After 11 seasons in Japan, Okamoto was posted on November 20th.

The 29-year-old Okamoto has spent his entire professional career in the NPB playing for Yomiuri. Notable accolades include being a six-time All-Star, three-time home run leader, and a two-time Mitsui Golden Glove Award winner.

Okamoto compiled six straight seasons of 30 or more home runs; topping a career-high 41 in 2023.

The early portion of the offseason has the Pirates seemingly aiming high on free agents, with Kyle Schwarber and Eugenio Suarez as the most noteworthy. The latest report from Heyman is the first time Pittsburgh has been linked to Okamoto.

For the Pirates, third base and first base are certainly positions of need, and Okamoto could fill either role.

Steelers Mutually Part Ways with Darius Slay

According to agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey, veteran cornerback Darius Slay and the Pittsburgh Steelers have mutually agreed to part ways. He is interested in continuing to play, and will consider signing on with another team.

After five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, which included three Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl ring, Slay inked a one-year deal for $10 million, as part of an offseason that saw the Steelers go on a spending spree. 

The 34-year-old Slay had a rough showing in Pittsburgh this season, with opposing quarterbacks completing 75% of passes, along with a 108.0 passer rating against, in the 40 times he was targeted.

It’s a Steelers’ secondary that is currently last in the league in pass defense. Aside from Slay’s struggles, Jalen Ramsey was moved to free safety, Juan Thornhill was released, and DeShon Elliott has a season-ending, knee injury.

Slay was made inactive on Sunday, so that appeared to be the writing on the wall, for his time in Pittsburgh.

Bryan Reynolds: Pirates Designated Hitter In 2026?

As bad as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ offense was collectively in 2025, you would expect Bryan Reynolds to be a reliable cog in the lineup. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, as the veteran switch-hitter had his worst season at the plate; slashing .245/.318/.402, along with a career low 1.4 oWAR in 654 plate appearances.

The struggles on offense for Reynolds seemed to be expected. After all, the only protection in the lineup he received was from Oneil Cruz in the first half and Spencer Horwitz in the second half.

During his seven seasons in Pittsburgh, Reynolds has played all three outfield spots. The defense has been on a decline; registering -20 Defensive Runs Saved since 2022. 

Reynolds’ current trade value combined with being owed $75.25 million over the next five years makes it very unlikely that the Pirates move him this winter. The Kansas City Royals reportedly had interest in trading for Reynolds during the summer, but it’s unclear what the level of interest was.

Andrew McCutchen was the Bucs primary designated hitter each of the last three seasons, and it seems 50/50 that he would return. If the Pirates decide to move on from McCutchen, then there’s a strong chance Reynolds moves into the DH role, and they address more than one outfielder.

Reynolds enters 2026 in his age 31 season. Based on track record, it’s possible that Reynolds is a bounce back candidate offensively, especially if his sole focus will be as a DH.

Penguins Recall Rutger McGroarty

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that forward Rutger McGroarty is being recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, for Monday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

McGroarty was acquired by Pittsburgh in August of 2024 from the Winnipeg Jets in a swap for forward Brayden Yager. Shortly after the trade, he was signed by the Pens to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Considered by most as the Penguins top prospect entering last season, McGroarty made Pittsburgh’s Opening Night roster. However, he spent most of the season playing for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he had 39 points (14 goals; 25 assists) in 60 games.

On April 3rd, McGroarty recorded his first NHL goal versus the St. Louis Blues. 

Dealing with an upper-body injury that caused him to miss training camp and the preseason, the Penguins placed McGroarty on injured reserve to start the season.

Once he was activated off IR, McGroarty wasted no time making an impact for the WBS Pens, as he scored four goals in five games.

Pirates Reportedly Would Entertain a Johan Oviedo Trade

p/c: Gene J. Puskar 

It’s not a secret that the Pittsburgh Pirates will look to significantly improve the offense this offseason. One possibility, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, would be the Pirates entertaining the idea of trading right-hander Johan Oviedo for the right position player package. Rosenthal notes that Pittsburgh isn’t necessarily eager to trade Oviedo.

The Pirates acquired Oviedo from the St. Louis Cardinals as part of the Jose Quintana deal at the 2022 trade deadline. 

During Oviedo’s first full season with the Bucs in 2023, he posted a 4.31 ERA in 32 starts.

Unfortunately, Oviedo suffered an elbow injury that offseason, which led to Tommy John surgery. As expected, he missed the entire 2024 season.

Oviedo dealt with another setback in spring training, as he sustained a lat muscle. 

On August 4th, Oviedo made his return to the big leagues. He put up an ERA of 3.57 in nine starts for the Pirates. The velocity on Oviedo’s four-seam and two-seam fastballs were strong; registering 95.5 and 95.2 respectively. Opposing batters hit just .182 against Oviedo.

Ever since last offseason, there’s been plenty of trade rumors surrounding Mitch Keller. The general consensus appears to be that Keller is a sure bet to be traded this offseason.

Oviedo, who has two years of control remaining, is projected to earn $2 million this winter. Given that Oviedo is now fully healthy, and comes with a cheap cost, the Pirates could look to get a nice haul for him as a possible Plan B option, if they are somehow unable to move Keller.

Would an Alec Bohm Trade Make Sense for Pirates?

p/c: Emilee Chinn

Much like 2024, this year was another putrid season for the Pittsburgh Pirates’ offense, as they finished dead last in team OPS (.655), home runs (117), and runs scored (583).

As you would expect, the news of Ben Cherington being retained as Pirates general manager was met with extreme negativity. 

Cherington will have quite a few holes to fill on offense. One of those needs is at third base. 

The Pirates made one of the more surprising moves at the trade deadline - dealing Ke’Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds. The main return was infielder Sammy Stafura, who is currently Pittsburgh’s seventh ranked prospect.

A month after acquiring Cam Devanney from the Kansas City Royals, in a swap for Adam Frazier, Devanney struggled mightily at third base; hitting just .139, while striking out more than half the time at 55.3%.

Reports this offseason are that the Philadelphia Phillies plan on putting Alec Bohm on the trade block. Given the Pirates’ obvious need for a proven player at the hot corner, would Bohm be a potential fit?

Bohm is going into his last year of arbitration, and is projected to make $10.3 million, according to MLB Trade Rumors. 

Here are the Baseball Savant numbers for Bohm offensively this season. 

For much of his big league career, Bohm has displayed solid, bat-to-ball skills, and 2025 was no different, as he exhibited terrific contact, along with a lack of swing & miss, and a low strikeout percentage.

Although Bohm finished ‘25 with a bWAR of 1.5, he’s a year removed from an All-Star season (3.0 bWAR).

Bohm’s defense at third base has improved significantly, since debuting for the Phillies in 2020.

Defensive Runs Saved by year:

2020: -7

2021: -12

2022: -17

2023: -9

2024: 0

2025: -3

In his first four seasons, Bohm was simply a terrible defensive third baseman, but over the last two seasons, he’s managed to turn into a borderline average defender.

On the free agent market, the Pirates wouldn’t be able to afford Alex Bregman and Eugenio Suarez; both of whom are the top two third basemen. Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, who was recently posted by the Yakult Swallows, would likely sign with a big market club. With the Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamato connection, the Dodgers would mostly likely be the favorites to land Murakami. Yoán Moncada is a name that Pittsburgh could look to sign to an affordable, one-year deal. However, Moncada has dealt with injuries in recent years. Based on what’s realistic, a Bohm trade would seem to make a lot of sense for the Pirates. 

As for what Cherington would have to give up for Bohm, it likely isn’t going to be anything real significant, because of his team control, or lack thereof. Perhaps a package that includes shortstop Yordany De Los Santos (Pirates #14 prospect) and pitcher Wilber Dotel (#28 prospect) to the Phillies.

I’m fine with trading for Bohm - provided that he isn’t the Pirates’ “big splash” of the offseason. They would still need to bring in a couple more bats who are just as good.

Paul Skenes Wins 2025 NL Cy Young Award

In a voting that was widely expected, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes is the 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner. Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies and Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers were the other finalists.

Skenes joins Vern Law (1960) and Doug Drabek (1990) as the only Pirates pitchers to win the Cy Young award.

After winning NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2024, Skenes is this year’s NL Cy Young recipient, as he becomes the first pitcher to capture Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young in his first two seasons since Dwight Gooden in 1984 and 1985.

Skenes led all NL pitchers this season in ERA (1.97), FIP (2.36), WHIP (0.95), and bWAR (7.7).

The 2025 season for Skenes was perhaps the greatest by a starter in franchise history. His 1.97 ERA is the lowest by a Pirates pitcher with a minimum of 30 starts in the modern era. Skenes also surpassed Mitch Keller for most strikeouts in a season by a Pittsburgh right-hander with 216.

Examining the Asante Samuel Jr. Signing with Steelers

p/c: Kirby Lee 

The Pittsburgh Steelers are adding another key name to their secondary, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has reported that cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. is signing with the Steelers’ practice squad.

Samuel is the son of four-time Pro Bowl CB and two-time Super Bowl champion, Asante Samuel Sr. 

The Los Angeles Chargers selected Samuel in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. 

In four seasons with the Chargers, Samuel recorded six interceptions, along with 37 pass deflections, and a 92.3 passer rating against.

The 26-year-old Samuel was expected to be one of top cornerbacks on the free agent market. However, his stock dropped drastically, as he underwent spinal-fusion surgery in April. 

Aside from the Steelers, the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and San Francisco 49ers were said to have had interest in wanting to sign Samuel.

Assessment of the signing: Now that Samuels is fully cleared to play football again, he will eventually look to add a true presence as an outside corner, to a Steelers’ secondary that currently has the worst pass defense in the AFC. 

Jalen Ramsey began the season on the outside, but has struggled in coverage so much that he’s now been moved to a free safety role. Another veteran CB, Darius Slay, hasn’t fared any better, and is dealing with injuries. The addition of Samuels will hopefully rectify the issue.

If Samuels can remain healthy, and return close to the level he did, prior to his neck surgery, then it’s a terrific, flyer for the Steelers.