The Pittsburgh Pirates took many steps in the right direction during the 2026 season, even though they came up short of their goal of reaching the postseason.

Now, the real test begins for Pittsburgh. Will the front office build on one of their most successful seasons in a decade? With that in mind, here are the Pirates’ top three offseason priorities, in order.

The Pirates had their best offense in years during the 2026 campaign. So much so that the starting lineup emerged as the team’s top strength throughout the season.

The elephant in the room, though, is that Brandon Lowe's career year in Pittsburgh was at the center of that improvement. Now, the 32-year-old is a free agent, and the Pirates must do everything they can to ensure he comes back for the foreseeable future.

Of Pittsburgh’s 186 home runs, Lowe was responsible for 35 of them. His .824 OPS ranked second on the team, along with a 121 wRC+, which was also third. Lowe was exactly what the Pirates hoped for in 2026, and losing him would be a difficult reality for the team to face.

All of the progress that the Pirates made this season could take a step back if Lowe isn’t in the starting lineup on Opening Day in 2027. Pittsburgh must re-sign him this offseason; it’s the front office’s top priority.

Some bright spots in Pittsburgh’s bullpen began to emerge at the end of last season, specifically Mason Montgomery. Even Yohan Rodriguez had some positive moments throughout the year.

However, at the end of the day, Pittsburgh’s ERA and WHIP were at league average and just below it. With all of that in mind, the bullpen is incredibly top-heavy and lacks depth. The players the front office

Whether it’s by bringing in a veteran free-agent reliever such as Pete Fairbanks or finding a trading partner for another arm, adding bullpen depth and arms Don Kelly can rely on needs to be a massive priority for Pittsburgh this winter.

The Pirates' offense, for the first time in a long time, wasn’t the key issue for Pittsburgh during the season. With that said, the lineup wasn’t perfect.

Pittsburgh clearly needs more balance, specifically in the form of a right-handed bat. Right now, Pittsburgh only has one proven, everyday hitter from the right side of the plate, and that’s Konnor Griffin, who is coming off his rookie season.

Needless to say, that’s simply not enough and must be addressed this offseason.