The Pittsburgh Pirates are no longer interested in Isaac Paredes this offseason after signing a $12 million deal with another player. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies are looking to add to their rotation even after Spring Training, notes an insider.
Let’s talk in detail about these reports.
Pirates “Out” on Isaac Paredes After $12M Deal
The Pittsburgh Pirates were among the teams interested in trading for Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes, who could boost their batting lineup. However, after signing a one-year, $12 million contract with slugger Marcell Ozuna, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal believes they are out on any potential Paredes trade discussions.
Rosenthal thinks the Pirates won’t chase Paredes since they are close to their payroll limit after signing Ozuna.
“If you had to guess, are the Pirates out on Paredes now? If I had to guess, the answer to that is yes, they are out,” Rosenthal said. “And the reason is that they’re probably at their payroll limit, or close to it. Paredes is not necessarily that costly of a player. I don’t have his salary or projected salary for 2026 in front of me, but he would add to that payroll.
“Now, should the Pirates be out on Paredes? They absolutely should not. They should go get Paredes. If they get him to play third base, to me, this is a wild-card contender. They might even be that right now. But I just don’t know whether, after giving Marcell Ozuna $12 million for this year, they have enough money left in their budget.”
Paredes is also explored in a potential three-team trade deal involving the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals. Brendan Donovan can be moved to the Astros, and Paredes can go to the Red Sox in this potential trade.
Phillies Eye SP Depth in Active Market
The Phillies are reportedly looking for a starting pitcher for the start of the 2026 season, as their ace Zack Wheeler is not expected to be ready when Opening Day comes.
Phillies manager Rob Thompson confirmed Wheeler won’t be available for Opening Day as he recovers from injury. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said they are seeking additional pitching help and expect the trade/free-agent markets to remain active through spring training.
Aaron Nola, Jesus Luzardo, Christopher Sanchez, and Taijuan Walker make up the Phillies’ projected Opening Day roster.
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