The Pittsburgh Pirates have already made some moves this offseason to boost their lineup, bringing in Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn.
But their fanbase wants more. And there’s an intriguing possibility sitting right across the state.
The Philadelphia Phillies are looking to dump Nick Castellanos, who’s owed $20 million this season but has seen his production slip in recent years. The thing is, they’re willing to eat most of that contract just to move on.
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers predicts the Pirates could be the landing spot, with Philadelphia picking up $15 million of Castellanos’ $20 million salary just to get him off their books.
“The Pirates still need hitting, right? And Castellanos still needs a new home. How about an in-state swap with the big-spending Phillies picking up most of the contract — say $15 million of the $20 million owed to Castellanos in 2026. The Pirates don’t even have to send anyone back in the deal.”
Rogers sees it as a potential win-win where Castellanos could “light up PNC Park, proving all the naysayers wrong.”
Now, Castellanos isn’t winning any Gold Gloves in the outfield. But the Pirates could easily slot him in as their primary DH.
His bat’s declined, sure. But there’s still pop there.
What makes this intriguing is the change of scenery factor. Joining a younger Pirates lineup, Castellanos could step into that veteran leader role. Sometimes that’s exactly what a player needs to find another gear.
From Pittsburgh’s perspective, if Philadelphia’s covering three-quarters of the salary, it’s hard to see much downside. They’d be getting a proven power hitter for essentially $5 million.
The Pirates’ pitching staff remains solid. If Castellanos has anything left in the tank, this lineup could be good enough to make some noise in the National League. That’s the kind of calculated risk that can change a franchise’s trajectory.
