The Pittsburgh Pirates made a somewhat strange decision when it was announced that pitching coach Oscar Marin wouldn’t be returning to the team.
Instead, the Pirates hired new pitching coach Bill Murphy, who many believe has a good opportunity to come in and continue to build this Pirates rotation.
A season ago, it was fair to say that Pittsburgh had one of the best rotations in baseball, especially in the second half, but according to the latest report from Alex Stumpf, head coach Don Kelly believed they needed a new voice.
“It just felt like we needed a new voice at the top of the pitching team to continue to challenge these guys and keep pushing them forward,” Kelly said, per Stumpf.
Stumpf added that after six years and with the staff developing at the level the Pirates were hoping for, they still believe there's a lot more there with the young talent they have on the mound.
“After six years under pitching coach Oscar Marin, manager Don Kelly felt it was time for a change. There was no question that the team’s pitching staff and rotation were the strength of the club, but sources told MLB.com that the room was looking to be pushed further, that there was another gear to reach,” he wrote.
Kelly echoed those words and also believes the pitching staff is the key to success moving forward. With guys like Paul Skenes, Bubba Chandler, Jared Jones, and many others, it's only fair to suggest that if the Pirates continue to develop at the level he's hoping for and they reach another gear, there's a very strong chance this will be the best rotation in baseball.
“I think it's just continuing to challenge the guys to push them to continue to get better,” Kelly said. “The pitching staff is the foundation. I really believe strongly in [Murphy's] skill set, the knowledge, and the communication style that he brings from Houston to accomplish that.”
It’ll be interesting to see what other moves are made during the 2026 offseason, but at this point, we know the coaching staff is essentially finalized. Now the Pirates have to go out and add some talent to help this roster.