In a surprising trade rumor, the Pittsburgh Pirates are mentioned as suitors for Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte.
Marte would be big-game hunting for Pirates general manager Ben Cherington, who has shied away from making major trades since joining the organization in 2020. Marte would undoubtedly be an upgrade for the Pirates, who were last in MLB in runs scored, home runs, and OPS this year while finishing in the National League Central basement.
The 32-year-old Marte is a three-time All-Star, including earning berths in each of the last two seasons. The switch-hitter was the NL Championship Series MVP in 2023 when the Diamondbacks stunned the heavily favored Philadelphia Phillies and then finished third in the NL MVP voting in 2024. This past season, he hit .283/.376/.517 with 28 home runs in 126 games with one defensive run saved.
By comparison, Nick Gonzales, who was the Pirates' most frequently used second baseman in 2025, hit .260/.299/.362 in 96 games with minus-11 DRS. Marte is reasonably priced – by most teams' standards – with five years and $91 million remaining on his six-year, $105-million contract.
So, what would the Diamondbacks want for Marte? A whole lot of pitching.
Various baseball sources say Cherington is telling teams that 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and fellow right-hander Bubba Chandler are off limits in trade talks. However, the Pirates have plenty of young pitchers who would pique the Diamondbacks' interest.
The Diamondbacks would likely want a package topped by right-hander Seth Hernandez, who the Pirates selected sixth overall in the first round of this year's amateur draft. The 19-year-old has yet to throw a pitch in professional baseball, yet ranks as the game's No. 26 prospect, according to Baseball America.
It seems inevitable that Braxton Ashcraft would have to be put in the deal following a strong rookie season. The 26-year-old righty had a 4-4 record and 2.71 ERA in 26 games, including eight starts.
A Hernandez and Ashcraft package wouldn't be enough to get a deal done. The Diamondbacks would want two more players, and right-hander Justin Lawrence could bolster their bullpen. They might also take a flyer on a low-level prospect like 21-year-old infielder Carlos Caro, who has struggled at Low-A Bradenton for parts of two seasons but hit well in the Dominican Summer League and Florida Complex League.
Could the Pirates pull off a trade for Marte without giving up Skenes or Chandler? Maybe not, but Cherington needs to try at least to find out.