Pirates players who could be gone from Pittsburgh this offseason

Despite a remarkably troubling year from ace Paul Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates managed only their fifth non-losing record since 1993. Who had that on their preseason bingo card?

The Pirates will enter the 2027 season (whenever it starts) with an intriguing young core. Top shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin flashed when healthy, and we came away impressed with starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft.

As for those who we shouldn’t expect to see on the Opening Day roster? For this list, we’re looking at Pirates players who are under contract for at least the 2027 season. Where things become difficult is that Pittsburgh has already parted ways with most of the players, like Marcell Ozuna or Dennis Santana, who’d have perfectly fit this story. 

That said, let’s turn our attention to one of the more notable busts in recent MLB memory. 

C Henry Davis

Davis joins ex-Twins outfielder Darin Mastroianni as the only Fox Lane High School (N.Y.) alumni to play an MLB game. Mastroianni took his last big-league at-bat in 2016, and Davis might not be far behind. 

Having -1.0 bWAR and a .563 OPS through nearly 1,000 plate appearances is bad enough, but don’t forget he went No. 1 overall in 2021. He turned 27 earlier this month, and we’re not sure whether he even profiles as a potential backup. Most defensive-minded backups typically offer a .600 OPS as a floor. 

Davis has battled hand and wrist injuries throughout his professional career, but he’s also looked overmatched since debuting in 2023. At what point do the Pirates wave the white flag for good? (Pun only slightly intended.)

INF Jared Triolo

Of all the players on this list, Triolo is the one we’d personally advise the Pirates to keep around. The 2019 second-round pick has extensive experience at shortstop and both corner infield spots. You can’t put a price on versatility — so long as you don’t overpay a league-average player. 

Given that we’re not scouts, we urge you to take what we’re about to say more as an observation than a comparison. But if Triolo profiles as an Isiah Kiner-Falefa type, then he’ll always catch teams’ attention. Both players are competent utilitymen with some speed and the ability to occasionally play the outfield. 

RHP Mitch Keller

Much like his longtime teammate Bryan Reynolds, we’ve frequently seen — and included — Keller on lists of potential Pirates trade candidates for years. But the veteran righty’s value was already tanking before he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in August. 

Keller’s 5.29 ERA marked his highest since 2021, and his 17.7 percent strikeout rate was easily a career-worst. He has two years and $38 million left on his contract, but keep your eye on a contender like the Red Sox or White Sox this coming winter. Both need veteran pitching depth, especially if Boston’s Sonny Gray retires following the playoffs. 

1B Spencer Horwitz

If our Davis/Fox Lane fun fact wasn’t enough for you, here’s another piece of trivia. Spencer is one of only two players in MLB history with the surname Horwitz, joining ex-Giants outfielder Brian Horwitz, who had a 21-game cup of coffee in 2008. 

Let’s get back to the Pirates’ Horwitz, who turns 29 in November and had a below-average .712 OPS through 440 plate appearances. Although he might offer some value as a left-handed backup first baseman, the Pirates are better off looking elsewhere. The best-case scenario is that he grows into an on-base machine as the Brewers’ Jake Bauers has.

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