The Pittsburgh Pirates are bad. Simply put, the team has not done anything remotely close in order to have a competing team, even with the likes of Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz, and more.

Currently sitting in the early stages of the season with a 1-5 record, the Pirates were walked off three times by the Miami Marlins in their opening series of 2025.

After the series with the Marlins, the Buccos have lost the first two games in the series against the Tampa Bay Rays. They take on the Yankees next, and it’s not going to go well at all.

A starting rotation that could be the best in the National League Central simply isn’t enough for the Buccos to compete in the division. They need more. They need to compete, for their fans’ sake.

The Why:

The Pirates just didn’t do enough for their offense. Their biggest free agent signings for the offense were Tommy Pham and a reunion with Adam Frazier. 

Frazier brings some versatility to the bench because he can play in numerous positions, but adding Pham is mind-boggling. 

The Pirates already have Andrew McCutchen as their designated hitter, and a 37-year-old Pham won’t bring much to the plate.

Pham has some hits early in his Pirates career, but there were much better options for a team that needs to spend in order to compete. 

Baseball has become a buyer’s game. If the Pirates don’t spend, there’s no way they will compete in the National League, let alone their own division. 

It’s crazy to think that a team with a rotation that has arguably the best pitcher in baseball isn’t competing. If things don’t change for the Pirates, it’ll be Gerrit Cole all over again.

What Needs to be Done:

Quite simply, the Pirates need to buy. Whether it be trading prospects to get MLB-ready players, or signing names in free agency, the team needs to load up on talent. 

Pittsburgh has talented players at the moment. Reynolds, Cruz, and Joey Bart, among others are very solid for the Pirates.

Those players are exactly what they need them to be at the moments: the building blocks of a future competitor. 

Bednar was one of the main reasons why the Pirates were walked off in two of the games. Unfortunately, he’s no longer the solid closer from 2023. He’s since been sent down to Triple-A.

Away from the offense, the team needs to put together an at least average bullpen. David Bednar, Colin Holderman among others just aren’t good enough lately to be the best guys in the ‘pen. 

End of Pirates Rant:

The Pirates just need to do something. Whether it be acquiring a solid reliever or adding to the offense, they need a solid player to change the current team.

Yes, one different face won’t change much, but just going out there and acquiring a solid player could be a start.

The team needs a new face to hopefully help bring success back to the Steel City – something that’s easier said than done. 

The Pirates have potential, no doubt about it. They have the stepping stones for potential future success, but they just needed more.

A lack of adding any solid free agent has doomed the Buccos right off the gun. The poor start to the season may just be an indication of how 2025 will go in Pittsburgh.