8-4-25 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on X
The Deadline is over, the conversations about it have been passionate, angry, and others have simply decided they didn’t care anymore because hey, the team sure didn’t look like there did.
We here at Steel City Pirates will probably represent all of those emotions as we continue covering the team, but we promise one thing above all as we always have, Fairness.
Lets Go!
1. First Base Answer is Spencer Horwitz
I know, let’s get it out of the way. Some of you didn’t like this trade when it was made. Others have come around after finding out there’s a very high likelihood that the feature in that deal Luis Ortiz has been in some way gambling on the game.
It’s because this is exactly what thy brought him here to be.
He was a risk. A shot at a guy who could develop power, already had some pretty good bat to ball data. It was known he could play the position well, it was known he had a wrist issue that would potentially need dealt with at some point.
So, he started the year on the IL and with a wrist that healed, he spent very little time in MiLB on rehab before returning to MLB and his brand new team.
He wasn’t at full strength, he probably in truth isn’t even as we sit here today.
THIS is what it looks like when a team tries to acquire controllable help. It looks like this, it looks like what Bailey Falter did too. Plenty of calls for his outright release, or stashing him in the pen, only to see him step up, use the skills that were identified yet unrealized and turn himself into someone we’re actually pissed they gave away for nothing.
These types of players aren’t going to show up here looking like difference makers, but given time and opportunity, they just might show you they were at least worthy of a try.
I can’t tell you Spencer will ever hit 25 homeruns in a season, but I can tell you he’s a player. A player this team can grow with.
One thing I can say about players, especially when young and inexperienced, they are very rarely a complete outcome. They are projects. You’re looking for their ceiling, or at least as much of it as you can hope for to emerge. It’s the team’s job to help it come along, and despite what their record of successfully doing so might be, there is absolutely no way to know short of playing time.
This year won’t reveal the final answer on Horwitz, but it’ll show enough to prove he’s worthy of another.
Spencer Horwitz is your starting first baseman in 2026 even if he ultimately has to be platooned vs left handed pitching.
2. Developing Parts of a Baseball Team is Rarely Linear
It’s very hard to put together an MLB rotation. Trades, underperformance, slow development, injuries, they all rob you of the simplicity of acquire, train, deploy.
I wanted to do my best to illustrate just how much happens, and I’ve done so with a chart that shows the utter chaos from 2020-today.
It’s not even important that you read everything on this chart, it’s more about seeing all the changes and alterations over the course of 6 MLB seasons. This isn’t even everyone who’s started here, just guys this team developed and at one point considered part of the rotation.
I say this because while the Pirates just traded Bailey Falter, I’d like you to think about how many points on the plot line we’ll see as the team onboards players like Thomas Harrington, Hunter Barco or Bubba Chandler. How they work Jared Jones back in.
This stuff is never as simple as we make it. I can tell the tale of how we got here and make it seem a lot more like a cause and effect decision was made repeatedly to get here, but it won’t really get the message across the way this chaotic chart shows. So many things happen, some you can control, others you can’t, but the next iteration in 2026 will create more ups, downs and maybe even more departures.
3. What Would it Say if Peguero Shows Good?
I wonder, if Liover Peguero were to succeed with this opportunity he’s being given? I wish I could answer it, but most fans will simply think the team screwed up, they should have called him up earlier. Let me detail that a bit, here are 5 points that argue, this opportunity should have come earlier.
1. Promising 2023 Performance
In 2023, Peguero posted:
- .237 AVG / .280 OBP / .374 SLG / .654 OPS
- 7 HR and 6 SB in 213 plate appearances
While not elite, these numbers were respectable for a young middle infielder, especially considering his age (22) and limited MLB experience. His power-speed combo and defensive versatility (SS/2B) made him a valuable developmental asset.
2. Strong Underlying Metrics
Statcast data from 2023 showed:
- Hard-hit rate: 39.6%
- Max exit velocity: 110.2 mph
- Barrel rate: 5.2%
These metrics suggest Peguero had the raw tools to succeed at the MLB level. His bat speed and contact quality were comparable to other young infielders who were given extended opportunities.
3. Lack of Middle Infield Stability
Between 2023 and early 2025, the Pirates cycled through multiple options at SS and 2B, including:
- Nick Gonzales
- Ji Hwan Bae
- Alika Williams
- Tucapita Marcano
None of these players solidified the position, and several struggled offensively. Peguero, already on the 40-man roster and with MLB experience, was a logical candidate to receive more consistent playing time.
4. Developmental Stagnation
Despite his MLB debut in 2022 and exceeding rookie limits, Peguero was repeatedly optioned to the minors in 2024 and early 2025
This inconsistent usage likely hindered his development and confidence. A more stable role could have allowed him to adjust and improve at the major league level.
5. Age and Timeline Alignment
By mid-2025, Peguero was 24 years old—a prime age for a player to establish himself. Given his early debut and prospect pedigree, it’s reasonable to argue that the Pirates missed a window to evaluate him fully before his arbitration years began.
Conclusion
Liover Peguero had the tools, opportunity, and organizational need to justify an extended MLB look as early as mid-2023 or start of 2024. Delaying his consistent usage until mid-2025 reflects a missed opportunity in player development and roster optimization.
4. Will the Pirates Eventually Cut the Players on Expiring Contracts
The Pirates’ decision to hold onto veterans Tommy Pham, Andrew Heaney, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa at the 2025 trade deadline may have surprised some, but Paul Skenes sees value in the move. While the team parted ways with key contributors like David Bednar, Ke’Bryan Hayes, and Bailey Falter, the retention of these veterans signals a commitment to clubhouse leadership and mentorship. Skenes acknowledged the pressure to move expiring contracts but praised the front office’s “guts” in keeping them, emphasizing their importance in shaping younger players like Liover Peguero.
Skenes’ comments reflect a deeper understanding of team dynamics. He recognizes that while performance on the field matters, the presence of seasoned professionals can accelerate the development of emerging talent. Players like IKF and Pham bring a wealth of experience and professionalism that younger players can emulate. Skenes specifically cited Peguero as someone who benefits from being around veterans who “know how to work” and “how to be a big leaguer.” This mentorship is especially critical for a team trying to build a sustainable culture and identity.
The Pirates’ offense has been the worst in MLB in terms of runs scored, and Skenes believes the team’s deadline moves were aimed at clearing salary space to address that issue in the offseason. However, keeping these veterans also provides a stabilizing force during a transitional period. Their presence ensures that the final two months of the season aren’t just about evaluation—they’re about building habits, routines, and expectations. Skenes is pushing for urgency and intentionality, and these veterans help set that tone.
Given their roles and Skenes’ endorsement, the probability that Pham, Heaney, and Kiner-Falefa remain on the roster through the end of the season is relatively high. Unless a waiver trade or injury occurs, their value as mentors and stabilizers likely outweighs any marginal return they’d bring in a late-season deal. The Pirates appear to be prioritizing internal development and culture-building, and these veterans are instrumental in that process.
In short, while the Pirates didn’t make splashy acquisitions, their decision to retain key veterans aligns with Skenes’ vision for a more intentional, growth-focused organization. Their continued presence could be a quiet but meaningful step toward building the foundation for a competitive 2026 and beyond.
Let me just add this. Right now, Paul Skenes is willing to offer the benefit of doubt, but much like fans it will run out. To say this offseason better add up to something is an understatement, because frankly it hardly matters who is or isn’t making the decisions. This offseason measurably improves this team or I guarantee we stop hearing measured responses like this from guys like Skenes and instead start hearing verbal shoulder shrugs, which is the step right before wanting out.
5. Foolish and Futile to Support this Club?
While the frustration is understandable—and in many ways justified—calling fans “stupid” for continuing to support the Pirates oversimplifies the emotional and cultural role that sports play in people’s lives. Baseball, especially in a city like Pittsburgh, is more than just wins and losses. It’s a shared language, a generational bond, and a source of identity. To dismiss that as ignorance is to ignore the deeper reasons people stay connected to their team.
Yes, the Pirates’ ownership has made decisions that appear profit-driven and short-sighted. But fans don’t support Bob Nutting—they support the players, the history, and the hope that things can change. They support the idea that maybe, just maybe, the next wave of prospects will break the cycle. That’s not stupidity; that’s loyalty, and in sports, loyalty is often irrational by design.
Boycotting the team might seem like a logical protest, but it also punishes the players who are grinding every day to make it. It punishes the stadium workers, the local businesses around PNC Park, and the community that rallies around baseball as a summer tradition. Change doesn’t always come from abandonment—it can come from pressure, from visibility, from fans demanding better while still showing up.
Moreover, the Pirates have had moments of good even in the Nutting era—the 2013–2015 playoff teams, the emergence of stars like Andrew McCutchen, and now the excitement around Paul Skenes and Jared Jones. These moments matter. They’re why people keep watching, even when they know the system is flawed.
Finally, calling for media silence or fan apathy assumes that disengagement is the only form of protest. But engagement—critical, vocal, passionate engagement—can be just as powerful. Fans have a right to be angry, but they also have a right to hope. And hope, in baseball, is not wasted, rather it’s quite literally what being a fan is.
If you feel foolish, do what makes you feel good, but calling others stupid for doing something they enjoy, well, that to me is the foolish thing. I don’t watch the WNBA, but I’ve never called for it to be ignored and not covered either.
This team is going to play, they’re going to make dumb decisions, they’re going to get lucky here and there too. This will all happen with our without you.
If you’re someone like me, you’re here for the story, regardless. It’s not always going to be a happy story, but it is always going to be baseball and much like my golf game, I find a way to enjoy it even when it sucks.
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