Pirates Reportedly Expressing Trade Interest in Disgruntled Slugger

The Pittsburgh Pirates have vowed to improve their offense this offseason, and while they are claiming they will spend money in free agency to make that happen, they are also exploring potential trade options.

It has already been reported that the Pirates have called the St. Louis Cardinals about All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan and a couple of other sluggers, and now, Jon Heyman of The New York Post has revealed that Pittsburgh is interested in Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos.

Castellanos is entering the final year of his contract with the Phillies and is slated to make $20 million in 2026. The two-time All-Star had a falling out in Philadelphia this past year, griping about his playing time while also having a run-in with manager Rob Thomson, so the general expectation is that he will either be dealt or released.

The Pirates would surely expect the Phillies to eat a good chunk of the remaining money on Castellanos' deal if they do try to complete a trade for him, but would the 33-year-old actually make the Buccos better regardless?

Castellanos slashed just .250/.294/.400 with 17 home runs and 72 RBI over 589 plate appearances in 2025, marking the second time he posted a .694 OPS in four seasons in Philadelphia.

The veteran made an All-Star appearance during his second year with the Phillies in 2023, slashing .272/.311/.476 with 29 homers and 106 RBI, but it seems pretty clear that his best days are long behind him at this point.

Castellanos is also an atrocious right fielder, so with his bat now being below average, he brings absolutely no value to the table. In fact, he posted a minus-0.6 WAR in 2025.

Pittsburgh definitely needs to explore all different options in order to bolster its lineup, but Castellanos is probably not the way to go.

There was a time when the Hialeah, Fl. native was a very productive hitter, like back in 2021 when he registered a .939 OPS with the Cincinnati Reds. However, he has failed to post an .800 OPS ever since, so the Pirates should almost certainly be looking elsewhere for bats.

Pittsburgh is also supposedly interested in Kyle Schwarber, although that may be a bit too ambitious for the club.