Pirates president says team has 'resources to add aggressively' in free agency this offseason

Travis Williams smiled in the face of a steady rain before distributing Thanksgiving dinners Tuesday outside PNC Park, reiterating that the Pittsburgh Pirates have changed neither their expectations nor plans.

Amid reports they are preparing to be spenders in free agency — linked to sluggers Josh Naylor, Kyle Schwarber and Eugenio Suarez — the Pirates president said they had “the resources to be able to do what we need to add aggressively this offseason” following a 71-91 season that resulted in their second consecutive NL Central last-place finish.

“Our expectations are that we win and that we make the playoffs. In order to do that, we knew we had to be aggressive in the offseason … and we’re committed to that,” Williams said. “So, that requires you to be really active in the free agency market and the trade market, and that activity is happening now.

“I can’t really comment on the specifics of any of that, but we’re excited to be able to be out there. We know we have a really good opportunity with the team we have in place. We know that there are some great additions on the offensive side that we can really add to this team and achieve our goals of winning and making the playoffs.”

Whether the Pirates are prepared to sign a free agent to a multiyear contract — something they haven’t done since pitcher Ivan Nova’s three-year, $26 million deal in December 2016 — remains to be seen, but Williams said they are committed to surrounding National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes with some bats after finishing at the bottom of the major leagues in most offensive categories the past two seasons.

“I think that’s a part of that, but I don’t think it’s everything,” Williams said. “When you have someone like Paul Skenes anchoring your pitching staff, but you have great pitchers like Mitch Keller and the young guys we have coming up like (Bubba) Chandler and (Braxton) Ashcraft and the rest of them, those guys all add excitement and energy and give us an opportunity with a solid pitching staff that is one of the best — if not the best — in baseball right now. You want to build around that. You want to support that. Adding to what we have on offense organically already and being able to add to that is really the focus and goal of the offseason.”

Williams was joined by Pirates manager Don Kelly in the fifth #BurghProud event, where they were accompanied by members of the Steelers and Penguins in partnership with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and Giant Eagle in handing out turkeys, produce, apple pie and $15 Giant Eagle gift cards to 300 area families.

The Pirates recently added three coaches to Kelly’s staff, and he expects to add several more in the next week or so. Mendy Lopez won’t return, so an infield coach is one of the positions to fill. Finding an assistant pitching coach to replace Brent Strom, who wasn’t retained, also is a priority.

Bill Murphy was hired from the Houston Astros to replace Oscar Marin as pitching coach, Kelly said, because “it just felt like we needed a new voice at the top of the pitching team to continue to challenge these guys and keep pushing them forward.”

The Astros have led the majors in team ERA (3.61) since the start of the 2022 season. The 36-year-old Murphy has a reputation as one of the brightest young pitching minds in the game, and Kelly said he came highly recommended.

“Knowing Houston, the way that they’ve developed pitchers and the way that he’s able to challenge guys through whatever goes on,” Kelly said. “We can sit here and talk about data and analytics, that’s certainly part of it, but it’s the relationships that you build and how you continue to leverage that relationship to drive guys forward. He did a remarkable job of that in Houston with the Astros. …

“I think it’s just continuing to challenge the guys to push them to continue to get better. The pitching staff is the foundation. Really believe strongly in his skill set, the knowledge and the communication style that he brings from Houston to accomplish that.”

Kelly also added Kristopher Negron as bench coach and Tony Beasley as third-base coach in what he called a “really thorough process.” Negron ultimately replaces Kelly, who leaned on Gene Lamont in an advisory role instead of hiring a bench coach upon succeeding Derek Shelton as manager last May.

A former MLB utility player, Negron served as assistant director of player development, Triple-A Tacoma manager and as a first- and third-base coach for the Seattle Mariners.

“The guys that we brought in we think the world of. Really excited to add them to the staff,” Kelly said. “Negron, I personally didn’t know before the process started. A lot of great recommendations, and even after we hired him, the people that were texting me that I really respected about who he is as a baseball guy and the experience that he brings. Coming off the run in Seattle, really excited to have him.”

Beasley spent 18 years in the Pirates organization, including third-base coach on John Russell’s staff from 2008-10. In 2015, he joined the Texas Rangers, where he was a first- and third-base coach and had a stint as interim manager in 2022. Kelly said he respected Beasley from afar, with their paths crossing when Beasley managed the Altoona Curve while Kelly was coming up through the Detroit Tigers’ system.

“Always respected how he handled things and the way he went about it,” Kelly said. “To see his career transpire through Washington and Texas, the human and overcoming cancer and everything that he means, to bring him in as a really strong baseball guy.”