GM Ben Cherington is still actively improving the Pirates' roster, targeting pitching depth and infield talent for a postseason push.
The practice fields at the Pirate City training complex are busy again, a sure sign that spring has sprung for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, Fla.
Spring training started Wednesday, and the Pirates are gearing up for another season. General manager Ben Cherington and his baseball operations staff have been building toward 2026 since the day last season ended and still aren’t done tinkering. There is plenty of activity in the baseball ops offices in Bradenton.
‘We never stop working,” Cherington said. “I talk about the focus on the field. I think the players and coaches, certainly, that’s where their focus is, belief in the group that’s here. We walk up to the third floor at Pirates City and get back in our offices. We can still look at the computers, look at our phones, and look out there and keep working to see if we can improve the roster.”
It would be fair to say that Cherington has assembled the best roster since he was hired in November 2019. Pittsburgh has signed right-hander Jose Urquidy, left-handed reliever Gregory Soto, and first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn in free agency and traded for lefty reliever Mason Montgomery, second baseman Brandon Lowe, and outfielders Jhostynxon Garcia and Jake Mangum.
“I believe from a spring training perspective, just thinking about the players we have in camp, it’s probably the deepest, most talented group we’ve had,” Cherington said.
However, the Pirates would like to add more talent as they attempt to reach the postseason for the first time since 2015 and have just their fifth winning season in the last 34 years. Cherington is looking to add depth to the rotation and bullpen and remains on the lookout for a third baseman or shortstop.
Cherington, though, also likes the roster the way it is currently constituted.
“Just stay opportunistic but also feel very confident that the group we have in uniform here is walking out on the field and they have a lot of confidence in themselves,” Cherington said. “They’re not looking around waiting for who the next guy is walking in the door. There is pretty good, healthy belief in the group.”
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