Pirates Predicted To ‘Move On’ From All-Star Pitcher After One Season

The 2024 Major League Baseball regular season somehow is almost over.

There are just a few weeks left in the regular season and although the Pittsburgh Pirates may not end up in the postseason, it has been a successful one. Pittsburgh has taken a step forward and with its exciting young talent likely will be even better next season. The Pirates had a fighting chance at a playoff spot around the trade deadline and could take another step forward with another year under their belt.

With the season approaching its end, that means that there will be plenty of questions that the team will need to answer. Soon enough, free agency will be here and Pittsburgh will have to make some decisions about its own players and also decide who it wants to target on the open market.

Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter put together a list of each team’s biggest free agent with a prediction as to whether the team should re-sign or move on. Seven-time All-Star Aroldis Chapman was listed as the Pirates’ biggest free agent and Reuter predicted that the Pirates will end up moving on.

“Prediction: Move on,” Reuter said. “Aroldis Chapman helped the Texas Rangers capture a World Series title as a trade-deadline pickup in 2023, but he came at a steep price, as rising star Cole Ragans was sent the other way in that deal with the Kansas City Royals.

“The 36-year-old has continued to blow his fastball by hitters in the late innings pitching on a one-year, $10.5 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates, posting a 3.42 ERA and 14.4 K/9 with 22 holds in 58 appearances. His walk rate (6.3 BB/9) likely means he will need to settle for a setup role once again this winter, but plenty of teams will be interested in a similar one-year deal.”

Chapman has been solid this season for Pittsburgh, but it may make sense to invest elsewhere this upcoming offseason.

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