The Pirates just sent a loud message to the rest of Major League Baseball: this offseason, they say they’re finally ready to spend – and spend aggressively. And this is the part most long-suffering Pirates fans will question: is this a real turning point, or just another hopeful headline after a 71–91 season and a second straight year at the bottom of the NL Central?
Big promises about spending
On a rainy Tuesday outside PNC Park, team president Travis Williams was all smiles as he helped hand out Thanksgiving dinners, insisting that the organization’s expectations and plans have not changed at all.
He acknowledged the growing chatter that the Pirates could be active players in free agency this winter, with their name being connected to power bats like Josh Naylor, Kyle Schwarber, and Eugenio Suárez.
Williams said the club “has the resources” to do what it believes is necessary and to “add aggressively” this offseason, even after back-to-back last-place finishes.
Playoffs as the stated goal
Williams made it clear that the bar the front office is setting is not modest.
He said the expectation inside the organization is to win and to reach the postseason, and that being aggressive during the offseason is a key part of that plan.
According to him, this means being heavily involved in both free agency and the trade market, and he noted that such activity is already underway, even if he cannot yet share names or specific deals.
Belief in the current core
Despite recent struggles, Williams expressed confidence in the current roster as a foundation.
He said the front office believes the team already in place gives the Pirates a strong opportunity, especially if they can make meaningful additions on offense.
In his view, there are clear spots where “impact bats” can be added to help achieve the twin goals of winning more games and finally getting back into the playoff picture.
Will they finally do a big multi-year deal?
One of the biggest questions hanging over all of this is whether the Pirates are truly ready to hand out a significant multi-year free agent contract.
They have not done that since they signed pitcher Iván Nova to a three-year, $26 million deal back in December 2016, which for many fans symbolizes how cautious – or stingy, depending on your point of view – the club has been in the open market.
Williams did not directly promise a long-term deal, but he emphasized that they are committed to putting real offensive help around their ace, National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, after finishing near the bottom of the majors in most hitting categories in each of the last two years.
Building around a potential elite rotation
Williams suggested that the organization sees its pitching staff as a true strength – possibly even one of the best in baseball right now.
He highlighted Skenes as the anchor of the rotation and also pointed to established starter Mitch Keller and up-and-coming arms like Bubba Chandler and Braxton Ashcraft as reasons for optimism.
The idea, he said, is to build around that group by both nurturing the bats already in the system and supplementing them with outside additions, so that a strong pitching foundation is not wasted by an anemic offense.
Community event with cross-city support
The remarks came during the fifth #BurghProud event, where Williams was joined by Pirates manager Don Kelly.
They teamed up with members of the Steelers and Penguins, along with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and grocery chain Giant Eagle, to hand out turkeys, produce, apple pies, and $15 Giant Eagle gift cards to 300 families in the region.
The scene underscored the club’s desire to present itself as deeply involved in the community, even as fans watch closely to see whether the on-field product will finally catch up with the off-field messaging.
Coaching staff shake-up on the way
Off the field, the Pirates are also undergoing significant changes on the coaching side under Don Kelly.
He recently added three new coaches to his staff and expects to bring in several more in the coming week or so, signaling a fairly substantial retooling of the group around him.
One clear opening is an infield coach after Mendy López was not retained, and the team is also prioritizing the search for an assistant pitching coach to replace Brent Strom, who will not be back.
A new pitching voice from Houston
Kelly confirmed that Bill Murphy, formerly with the Houston Astros, has been hired to replace Oscar Marin as the Pirates’ pitching coach.
He explained that it “felt like” the staff needed a fresh voice at the top of the pitching group, someone who could continue to push the pitchers and challenge them as they develop.
Houston’s staff has been one of the best in baseball in recent seasons, leading the majors in team ERA since 2022, and Murphy has quickly developed a reputation as one of the most promising young pitching coaches in the game.
Beyond data: relationships and trust
Kelly praised Murphy not just for his technical knowledge but also for the way he works with pitchers on a personal level.
He acknowledged that data and analytics are a big part of the modern game, but stressed that what really matters is how a coach builds relationships and uses that trust to help players grow.
In Kelly’s view, Murphy did an outstanding job of balancing information, communication, and accountability in Houston, and the Pirates are counting on him to bring that same blend of skills to Pittsburgh.
Pitching as the foundation
The manager described the pitching staff as the “foundation” of the team’s success going forward.
He said that Murphy’s job will be to keep challenging the pitchers to improve and to maintain a culture of constant development, rather than letting anyone get comfortable.
Kelly emphasized that he strongly believes in Murphy’s mix of knowledge, teaching ability, and communication style, and sees those traits as vital for unlocking the full potential of the staff.
New bench and third base coaches
In addition to the pitching changes, Kelly has brought in Kristopher Negrón as the new bench coach and Tony Beasley as the new third base coach.
He described the hiring process as “really thorough,” suggesting that the team took its time to identify coaches who fit both the baseball needs and the clubhouse culture.
Negrón is effectively stepping into the role that Kelly once filled himself, since Kelly did not appoint a bench coach when he took over from Derek Shelton last May and instead leaned on veteran Gene Lamont in an informal advisory capacity.
Negrón’s versatile background
Negrón, a former major league utility man, brings a wide-ranging résumé from his time with the Seattle Mariners organization.
He has worked as assistant director of player development, managed Triple-A Tacoma, and served as both first and third base coach at the big league level, giving him experience across player development and on-field strategy.
Kelly admitted that he did not know Negrón personally before the hiring process, but said he received glowing recommendations from people he respects and that even more positive messages came in after the hire was announced.
Excitement about fresh perspectives
Kelly said the staff is “thrilled” to have Negrón on board, especially with him coming off a successful run in Seattle.
He values Negrón’s reputation as a strong baseball mind, a good communicator, and someone whose experience spans both the minor leagues and the majors.
For a relatively young manager, having a bench coach with that kind of breadth can be especially valuable when it comes to in-game decisions, player usage, and bridging the gap between development and performance.
Beasley returns to familiar territory
Tony Beasley, meanwhile, is no stranger to Pittsburgh.
He spent 18 years in the Pirates organization earlier in his career and served as their third base coach under manager John Russell from 2008 to 2010.
In 2015, Beasley joined the Texas Rangers, where he worked as both first and third base coach and even took over as interim manager in 2022, adding leadership experience at the very top of a major league dugout.
Respect earned over years
Kelly said he has long respected Beasley from afar, dating back to when Beasley managed the Double-A Altoona Curve while Kelly was working his way up through the Detroit Tigers’ system.
He praised Beasley for the way he carries himself, the professionalism he brings, and the consistency with which he has approached the game across different organizations.
Kelly also mentioned Beasley’s personal story, including his battle with cancer, and described him as both a strong baseball mind and an inspiring human being to have in the clubhouse.
A note on the original reporter
The original story about these developments was written by Kevin Gorman, a longtime reporter for TribLive who covers the Pirates.
Gorman grew up in Baldwin, graduated from Penn State, and has been with the publication since 1999, covering everything from high school sports to Pitt football and basketball, as well as serving as a sports columnist for a decade.
He now focuses on the Pirates beat and can be contacted via his TribLive email for readers who want to follow his ongoing coverage.
The big question for fans
So here’s where it gets controversial: are the Pirates genuinely turning a corner with their spending and staff changes, or is this just another offseason full of promises that never quite translate into wins?
Some fans will see the talk of “resources” and “aggressive” moves and feel cautiously optimistic, while others will point to the lack of major multi-year deals since 2016 as evidence that they will believe it only when they see it.
What do you think – do these moves and bold words signal a real shift in ambition, or are the Pirates simply rebranding the same old approach with new language? Share whether you’re buying the hype or staying skeptical in the comments.
