The Pittsburgh Pirates will hopefully be buyers as the summer goes on. They are currently a game over .500, and only a game out of a Wild Card spot. They’re also 8 1/2 games out in the National League Central division. However, with over half the season left, it’s still very possible they can catch up with a hot streak. If the Pirates start looking around the trade market, a few teams stand out as the best potential Pirates trade partners.
Three Ideal Pirates Trade Partners
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a dozen games under .500. They are also less than five games ahead of the Colorado Rockies for last place in the National League West division. The season has not gone the way they likely wish it would. However, they have plenty of players who could certainly help the Pirates out right now.
The Pirates likely won’t show much interest in significant, multi-year contracts, like those owed to Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, and Rafael Devers. However, shorter-term, lower-cost players should definitely be on the table. Luis Arráez is in the midst of a strong rebound season where he has put up a 125 wRC+, and his defense at second base has become one of his strong suits. He already has +11 outs above average at the position. Arráez is a free agent after this season.
Luis Arraez cranks one into the bleachers 💥 pic.twitter.com/wX9AQXRFDV
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 17, 2026
Casey Schmitt is another infielder who is having an outstanding breakout campaign. He already has 15 home runs this year, with a 127 wRC+. Plus, he is in the 70th percentile or better of xBA, xwOBA, xSLG%, and barrel rate. He is capable of playing all around the infield, but third base is his best position. He is under control via arbitration through 2028.
The Giants also have a handful of relievers they’ll likely look to move. Caleb Kilian, Keaton Winn, and former Pirates starter JT Brubaker are all relief arms who could improve the Pirates’ bullpen. Ryan Walker is a buy-low candidate that the Pirates’ pitching development staff could work on. After all, we all know how much help the Pirates’ pen needs.
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox had an active offseason last winter. Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked out as planned. They are currently 29-43, tied for the fifth most losses in MLB, and are 15 1/2 games out of the AL East, and 6 1/2 games out of a Wild Card spot. The Pirates have made a handful of trades with the Red Sox in Ben Cherington’s tenure, and given that they have some interesting trade pieces, we’ll likely see some activity between them once again.
The Sox are going to have one of, if not the most valuable, relievers on the trade market in former Pirates flamethrower Aroldis Chapman. The veteran lefty has a 0.99 ERA with an outstanding 36.6% strikeout rate and 7.8% walk rate over 82 innings since joining Boston. He currently has a mutual option that will almost certainly become a guaranteed year once he reaches 40 IP.
ESPN’s Buster Olney says there’s a 90% chance that Aroldis Chapman will get traded before the deadline.
Olney listed the following teams as likely landing spots for Chapman:
Blue Jays, Rays, Dodgers, Phillies, Cubs, Mariners, Pirates, Guardians, White Sox, Diamondbacks. pic.twitter.com/3F1W2MFO8N
— BoSox Injection (@BoSoxInjection) June 17, 2026
They will also likely shop Garrett Whitlock. After a handful of injury-riddled campaigns where the Sox attempted to use him as a starting pitcher, he has reclaimed his spot as a shutdown set-up man. The right-handed reliever has a 2.40 ERA, while striking out 31% of opponents, and only dishing out a free pass 7.9% of the time over his last 93.2 innings pitched. Whitlock also has team options remaining for both 2027 and 2028.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel also mentioned Willson Contreras as a trade piece for the Sox. The former Chicago Cub is in the midst of a career year with the stick, posting a .947 OPS, .403 wOBA, and 147 wRC+ over his first 288 plate appearances of the year. If the Pirates wanted to add some serious additional firepower to their lineup, Contreras would be one of the top options. He is also controlled through 2027 and 2028, and makes less than $20 million in both seasons.
Minnesota Twins
After starting off the 2026 campaign 11-7, the Minnesota Twins have fallen to 36-40 on the year. The American League has multiple sub-.500 teams in Wild Card positions have kept them afloat in the standings, but even with that, they are still 4 1/2 games out in the AL Central and 1 1/2 out of a Wild Card spot, and have a -30 run differential.
Utility man Kody Clemens would make a good fit on the Pirates. He has provided plenty of power for the Twins since they acquired him last April. This year, he already has 11 home runs, a .242 isolated slugging percentage, and 121 wRC+ over 243 plate appearances. Clemens has primarily played first base this year, but has experience all over the field. The only non-catcher/pitcher positions he has logged fewer than 100 career innings at are shortstop and center field.
Kody Clemens lasers one out 💪 pic.twitter.com/vJhfLFaTIc
— MLB (@MLB) May 29, 2026
The Twins’ most valuable pitcher is Joe Ryan. Ryan is a workhorse right-hander in the midst of a career season, posting career-bests in ERA+ (137), FIP (2.89), WHIP (0.99), HR/9 (0.87), and his 22.9% K-BB% is the seventh-best qualified mark among all starters. Ryan is a rental as well and has a mutual option, plus a $100K buyout for the 2027 campaign; however, mutual options never get picked up. If Pittsburgh needs another starter, he should be one of the top Pirates trade targets.
If the Bucs want to add a catcher to their mix, Ryan Jeffers will also be available via trade. Jeffers has always been a quality hitter, posting a wRC+ of 106 or greater the last four seasons. He started off 2026 with a 163 wRC+, but suffered a hamate fracture on May 19. However, he is already starting baseball activities once again. Jeffers’ defense has also graded out as about league average this year.
They also have a myriad of interesting relievers. Yoendrys Gomez has become a dominant right-hander since joining the Twins. He has allowed just three earned runs with a 29.2% K% and 9.7% walk rate over 17.2 innings. Taylor Rogers and Eric Orze both have a poor ERA, but a FIP below 3.50. The Pirates could likely acquire any of them at an affordable price.
Main Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
