Rumors Saying The Pittsburgh Pirates Actually Going To Be A Serious Baseball Team

Are the Pittsburgh Pirates actually going to act like a Major League Baseball team? That's what credible rumors being reported ahead of the league's Winter Meetings are suggesting. Seriously.

The Pirates, remember, have acted primarily as an investment vehicle for owner Bob Nutting. That's not an exaggeration; estimates have suggested that the organization brought in roughly $100 million in revenue sharing in 2023. Their total payroll that year was roughly $75 million. That $100 million in league distribution doesn't include television income, ticket sales, concessions, merchandise, parking, or other ancillary, revenue-generating activities. 

They're making a lot of money, and not spending much of it on payroll. 

As a further example, it's been quite literally an entire decade since the Pirates signed an outside free agent to a multi-year contract. A decade, since they've been willing to spend money to bring in a player for more than a single season. It's ridiculous. But is it finally about to change? 

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on Tuesday morning that the Pirates intend to, *gasp*, spend money this winter. That they made a run at free agent first baseman Josh Naylor before he resigned with the Seattle Mariners. And more interestingly, that they're trying to build around Cy Young winner Paul Skenes with possibly … Kyle Schwarber?

Sep 10, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) looks on during the first inning against Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: (Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images)

Signing Kyle Schwarber Would Revolutionize Pirates Organization

The Pirates have the makings of a top-level pitching staff. Skenes is one of the two best pitchers in baseball, and backed up his Rookie of the Year season by winning the NL Cy Young Award. Jared Jones will be back at some point in the mid-late part of 2026. Mitch Keller provides depth, and Bubba Chandler is one of the top pitching prospects in the sport. 

Where they desperately need help? On offense. 

The good news for the Pirates and their fans is that offensive help is widely available in free agency. The bad news is that they're the Pirates, and they refuse to spend money. Passan though, says that's about to change and Pittsburgh is about to have a "busy winter." Are they actually going to take themselves seriously for once?

Schwarber is likely the biggest offensive contributor available in the free agency market. He hit 56 home runs in 2025, with a .240/.365/.563 batting line, 52% better than league average. He added nearly 44 runs of offensive production above what an average player would produce. He doesn't do anything else, but if you want one player to improve your offense with one player, there's only a handful of players at Schwarber's level.

Are the Pirates actually going to sign Schwarber? Well, no, probably not. Other teams with deeper pockets will be interested, and after years of not signing anyone, the thought of Pittsburgh outbidding, say, the Boston Red Sox or the Texas Rangers, seems extremely unlikely. But the very fact they're even being mentioned for free agents is a gigantic sign of progress. 

Even if they don't sign Schwarber, there are plenty of other valuable free agent hitters available: Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger, Pete Alonso, Bo Bichette or Eugenio Suarez, to name just a few. 

Just last week, reports suggested that Skenes might want to leave town as quickly as possible to play for an organization that's trying to win. But if the Pirates can show him they do intend to become a serious team, that might change. And that's good news for the teams fans and for competitive balance in the sport.