The Pittsburgh Pirates would be in the postseason if the season ended today, and their general manager is interested in adding to the bullpen.
Ben Cherington tried to be more aggressive in the offseason and could take a similar approach this summer. The Pirates are probably not going to make a huge splash to acquire a player like Tarik Skubal or Mason Miller, but they might add some rental arms to pair with their elite offense.
"Ben is prioritizing run prevention at this trade deadline and has told opposing GMs that his goal is to improve the bullpen and defense," wrote MLB insider Jim Bowden on Tuesday. "In terms of Miller, the Pirates are not in play for him, however, Cherington does have interest in all of the available (New York) Mets relievers, and that includes (Luke) Weaver, who would be a great fit."
The Pirates offense ranks second in runs scored, first in hits, ninth in home runs, eighth in stolen bases, sixth in walks, third in batting average and third in OPS. Their rotation is led by Paul Skenes, and they have solid arms around him. However, their bullpen clearly needs help.
The Mets are expected to be sellers, and Weaver, A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley could all be on the move. Clay Holmes, who is a starter now, could also be on the move, but it's unclear whether teams would want to move him back to the bullpen.
Regardless, adding any of those relievers to the Pirates' bullpen would make them a real threat in the National League. With their offense and a postseason rotation that features Skenes and Jared Jones, anything can ahppen.