Kevin Gorman

But there's a possibility that perhaps they trade him before the season and somebody goes in and says, OK, we know what we have to pay him this year.

And we know that perhaps instead of paying him 32 million, if he wins his arbitration case, that that's kind of sets the standard for this is his market.

This is what he's going to be able to command.

And this is what we should be able to look at in a long term deal.

It really depends a lot on the situation.

on the agents, whether they want a long-term deal or whether they want to deal with multiple op-outs.

He has borrows as an agent, right?

Position themselves to be a free agent a year or two years from now and be able to command the market when the salaries go up, especially after a potential lockout after the following the 2026 season.

Well, they do have a lot of young starting pitching in the minor leagues.

I would imagine the Pirates want to protect their top minor league pitcher, which would be Seth Hernandez, their number one draft pick last year, a guy who's already 19 years old and touching triple digits, which is amazing.

I would imagine he'd be kind of considered off limits, and they really wouldn't want to give up anybody that's in their starting rotation now, considering that they traded Johan Oviedo and Mike Burrows this offseason.

And they're still in the market for a free agent starting pitcher.

You could look at a guy who was a former top 100 prospect who's still a top 10 prospect for the Pirates, like a Thomas Harrington.

They may have to package somebody.

You have a little bit of a glut of middle infielders or utility infielders now that Lau is signed for this year.

Perhaps a team would want a Jared Triolo in his gold glove, or somebody would want Nick Gonzalez and the potential that's in his bat that the Pirates just don't really have much time to wait for anymore for the

in terms of development they need the production uh perhaps you package a you know a young starting pitcher with a position player that can serve a utility role for an opponent but bone would would most likely be the most attractive one i would think that it would take a little bit more because he's i think he's in the final year of his contract um i think it would take a little bit more to get young

uh and i don't know that the mets want to give up one of their young guys like a betty or vientos there's a possibility that maybe they're willing to trade a jeff mcneil who could serve the purpose of playing possibly third base and maybe some left field that could be a guy i could see the pirates looking at with the mets but given the way the pirates have done things a guy like luis urias

That could be the type of guy that I could see.

A guy who's played second base, shortstop, third base could be kind of a stopgap as a starter until Griffin is ready, but also be capable of starting at one of those positions that they need.