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Pirates Upcoming Free Agent Class; At Least One Expected to Return

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Aroldis Chapman, Pittsburgh Pirates

Free agency doesn’t officially open until five days after the World Series ends, but the Pittsburgh Pirates will have a handful of players hit the market once it does.



The Pirates would have had even more players reach free agency had it not been for some moves during the second half of the season.

Martín Pérez is in the postseason after he was dealt to the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline. Michael A. Taylor got a jump on free agency after he was released late in the season. So did Rowdy Tellez — you remember that fiasco, right?

But even without those three, six Pirates’ players will be able to sign with any of the 30 teams in the league, barring any agreements before the start of free agency.

LHP Jalen Beeks

  • 2024 stats: 7-4, 4.50 ERA, 70 innings, 77 hits, 42 runs/35 earned, 27 walks, 55 strikeouts, 10 saves, 71 appearances

Beeks provided the Pirates with fairly good work after he was acquired at the trade deadline. While with Pittsburgh, he went 1-0 with a 3.92 ERA in 26 appearances. Beeks is one of three left-handed relievers who is an impending free agent.

LHP Ryan Borucki

  • 2024 stats: 0-0, 7.36 ERA, 11 innings, 14 hits, 10 runs/nine earned, four walks, 13 strikeouts, 14 appearances

Borucki emerged as one of the Pirates’ better relievers in 2023 but was sidetracked by an injury this past year. A nagging triceps injury cost him most of the season and the left-hander struggled upon his return as a September roster addition.

LHP Aroldis Chapman

  • 2024 stats: 5-5, 3.79 ERA, 61.2 innings, 44 hits, 31 runs/26 earned, 39 walks, 98 strikeouts, 14 saves, 68 appearances

Chapman was the Pirates’ most lucrative free agent deal in the offseason after signing a one-year deal worth $10.5 million — the largest guarantee handed out under Ben Cherington. He battled some inconsistency at times, but Chapman was effective and stepped into the closer’s role after David Bednar was removed.

C Yasmani Grandal

  • 2024 stats: .228/.304/.400, 10 doubles, nine home runs, 27 RBIs, one steal, 72 games

Grandal rebounded after a sluggish start and finished strong in his first season with the Pirates. In addition to improved offense, Grandal became the personal catcher of prized rookie Paul Skenes.

DH Andrew McCutchen

  • 2024 stats: .232/.328/.411, 18 doubles, one triple, 20 home runs, 50 RBIs, three steals, 120 games

McCutchen returned signed a one-year deal with the Pirates for the second-straight offseason and still showed he has value despite turning 38 years old later this week. The fan favorite expressed his desire to keep playing multiple times throughout the 2024 season. General manager Ben Cherington said he’d like for McCutchen to end his career in a Pirates’ uniform. It’s only a matter of time before McCutchen signs another one-year deal for 2025.

LHP Marco Gonzales*

  • 2024 stats: 1-1, 4.54 ERA, 33.2 innings, 43 hits, 17 runs, 11 walks, 23 strikeouts, seven appearances/seven starts

The Pirates have a $15 million club option on Gonzales with no buy-out. It will be declined and Gonzales will join the other five players in free agency. The veteran left-hander underwent season-ending surgery on his pitching arm after he was limited to seven starts in his lone season in Pittsburgh.

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