An MLB insider has revealed that the Pittsburgh Pirates will be making numerous moves this offseason.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have not made any significand additions yet, much to the chagrin of a fan base that was hoping the team would add a big bat like Kyle Schwarber or Josh Naylor.
The fact remains that both sluggers were unrealistic targets for the Pirates, who would have had to vastly overpay to even cause Schwarber or Naylor to consider joining Pittsburgh.
However, that does not mean things will continue to be radio silent in Steel City.
During a recent episode of The Baseball Insiders podcast, Robert Murray of FanSided revealed that he expects the Pirates to make "multiple moves" this offseason, although he does not anticipate that they will make a big splash for someone like Cody Bellinger.
"It's just taking a little bit longer than they would prefer, but I can confidently say that Ben Cherington is working the phones," Murray said.
Murray added that Ryan O'Hearn and even Japanese star Kazuma Okamoto could be potential candidates for the Pirates. He also said that trades are a possibility.
If we are being honest, Pittsburgh was never going to have a banner offseason. The Pirates surely want to improve, but spending money like the Los Angeles Dodgers was always out of the realm of possibility for the small-market squad.
That doesn't mean the Bucs can't get better, though.
Exploring the trade market is probably the best solution for Pittsburgh, as it will be tough for Cherington to lure free agents to a franchise that has made just three playoff appearances since 1993 and hasn't made a single trip in a decade.
The question is, would the Pirates be willing to part with the prospect capital necessary to swing an impactful trade in the coming weeks?
Pittsburgh is definitely facing some pressure from star pitcher Paul Skenes, who made it abundantly clear after the season that he wanted the Pirates to make a stronger effort to improve.
That should be enough to get Pittsburgh to get up and move, but whether or not the Buccos can actually close a deal on anything is another story entirely.
We'll see if the Pirates can make something happen before the market is completely dry.