Pittsburgh Pirates DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds will work as the team's right fielder in 2025, according to manager Derek Shelton. There was talk of the veteran possibly making a move to first base due to Spencer Horwitz's (thumb) injury, but he's apparently put those rumors to rest. He's not the only one making a move, as former shortstop Oneil Cruz is expected to play center for the Bucs, and newly signed Tommy Pham will man left field. Reynolds has played right field in the past, logging 398 innings there at the major-league level, so it should be somewhat familiar to him. Regardless of where he plays, the 30-year-old will be a reliable multi-category contributor again this season, as ATC projections foresee a .264-22-79-79-9 line with a .340 wOBA and 113 wRC+ in 2025. The two-time All-Star is fairly priced in drafts at the moment, owning an NFBC ADP of 91 overall compared to being ranked 84 overall at RotoBaller.

Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Kyle Nicolas (knee) faced live hitters on Tuesday and is expected to be a full-go during spring training. Nicolas ended the 2024 campaign on the injured list with a knee injury. However, seeing him face live hitters early in camp is a great sign of his status. Last season, the 25-year-old posted a 3.95 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP across 54 2/3 innings of work. He tallied strikeouts at a modest 22.5 percent rate and showed poor command of his pitches as he served up walks at a hefty 13.1 percent walk rate. In addition, he also generated a 4.40 xERA, which suggests he could face some regression during the upcoming season. Fantasy managers should expect the Ball State product to contend for a high-leverage role in the Pittsburgh bullpen.

According to Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pirates right-handed pitcher Dauri Moreta (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list. This transaction opened a spot on the 40-man roster for outfielder Tommy Pham. Moreta underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2024 and is still expected to miss time in the 2025 season. Given that he underwent the operation early in the 2024 campaign, Moreta could have a path to being available for most of the second half of the season. During the 2023 season, the 28-year-old held a 3.72 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP across 58 innings. He tallied an impressive 79 punchouts but showed weak command of his pitches as he held a 10.0 percent walk rate. However, he did generate a strong 3.02 xERA, which suggests he should face some positive regression when he returns to the mound. When he does return to action, he could earn a high-leverage role in the bullpen.

San Diego Padres outfielder Connor Joe is likely to be stuck in a platoon situation to begin the season. Right now, the expectation is that Joe and Jason Heyward are going to split time in left field. The Padres are attempting to fill the vacant spot left by Jurickson Profar, so this is the route they plan to use. In theory this could work given Joe's success against left-handed pitching. In his career, Joe is slashing .254/.350/.415 with 14 home runs and 65 RBI in over 600 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers. Despite his success, Joe is unlikely to warrant being rostered in most fantasy leagues due to the fact he probably won't be an everyday player.

According to Kevin Gorman of the Tribune-Review Sports, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes is experimenting with a cutter and a running two-seamer. Pirates pitching coach Oscar Marin noted that these experiments will improve Skenes' pitching efficiency. Marin noted that the reigning NL Rookie of the Year has emphasized getting into favorable counts and adding more pitches to his repertoire will only improve his chances of doing so. Last summer, the former top pick of the 2023 MLB Draft held a stellar 1.96 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP across his first 133 big league frames. He tallied strikeouts at an incredible 33.1 percent rate and generated ground balls at a strong 52.3 percent rate. Skenes relied heavily on his four-seamer and sinker during his rookie season, but additional pitches could only improve his efficiency on the mound. He is viewed as one of the top pitchers in all formats and is a consensus first-round selection.