North Shore Nine: A Pittsburgh Pirates Podcast

Could 2027 really be Paul Skenes’ final season with the Pirates?

Alex Stumpf answers your questions on another Friday OffBeat mailbag, including what could happen with Skenes if the Pirates fail again in 2027, what still needs to change with Henry Davis’ swing, who could be Pittsburgh’s next extension candidate and how the looming MLB lockout could impact this offseason.

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The Milwaukee Brewers just won the World Series — in baseball’s smallest market.

Alex Stumpf looks at what Milwaukee’s championship actually says about the Pittsburgh Pirates, why payroll alone can’t explain the difference between the two organizations, and how the Brewers built a sustainable winner through development, coaching, trades and organizational culture.

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OffBeat is a daily look at the Pittsburgh Pirates from North Shore Nine.

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Did the Pirates hire the wrong GM? With Matt Arnold and the Brewers in the World Series, Tyler and DiNardo revisit Pittsburgh’s 2019 decision to hire Ben Cherington over Arnold and debate how different the last seven years could have looked.

Plus, we dig into the Pirates’ hiring of former Astros pitching coach Sean Buchanan, what it says about their pitching development strategy, and finish by putting some of the hottest Pirates takes floating around social media on trial.

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FanGraphs prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen joins DiNardo live from the Arizona Fall League to break down some of the most intriguing players in the Pirates farm system.

Eric explains why Jhonny Severino is back on his radar, what has changed with Wyatt Sanford, how good Easton Carmichael could be behind the plate and why Michael Walsh has big-league bullpen stuff. They also get into the concerns surrounding Zander Mueth, the Pirates’ selection of Derek Curiel and an under-the-radar arm Pirates fans should know in Reinold Navarro.

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Pirates prospect Wyatt Sanford joins Alex Stumpf in Arizona after launching a 454-foot home run — the longest of his professional career — to talk about the offensive jump that changed his season.

Sanford explains how he added strength and power, why he’s working to cut down the swing-and-miss, and how being labeled a glove-first player became motivation. He also talks working with his dad, studying video, his “hitting rat” mentality and what Pittsburgh should expect from him.

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Alex Stumpf sits down with Pirates catching prospect Easton Carmichael in Arizona to talk about his breakout season, what he learned from his first full year and why he's already setting his sights on a 20/20 season in 2027.

Carmichael also discusses his approach at the plate, growing up as a coach's son, his development behind the plate, learning to move on from failure and what he wants Pirates fans to get every time they watch him play.

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Jim Rosati breaks down the decision facing the Pirates with Mitch Keller after an injury-plagued 2026. Keller says he’s healthy and expects a normal offseason, but with $18.4 million due next season, should Pittsburgh keep the veteran starter or move his contract and spend that money elsewhere?

Jim also gets into Brandon Lowe’s upcoming free agency, why the qualifying offer is an easy decision, and whether the Pirates can really afford to operate like the Brewers or Rays when they don’t have another Brandon Lowe waiting in the organization.

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The Pirates are likely losing one of their most consistent hitters in Brandon Lowe, and replacing that production won't be easy. Alex Stumpf looks at why Bryan Reynolds may need to become the steady, month-to-month force Pittsburgh's lineup needs in 2027.

Reynolds showed stretches of All-Star level production in 2026, but his second-half drop-off was part of the Pirates' offensive struggles. With plenty of variance elsewhere in the lineup, Pittsburgh needs one of its highest-paid players to deliver from April through September.

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Our Arizona Fall League trip ends with a walk-off.

DiNardo and Jim recap a long day at Camelback Ranch that ended with Jhonny Severino delivering the game-winning hit for Glendale. We also break down an impressive outing from Cristhian Tortosa, a rough night for Brandon Cain and what stood out from Easton Carmichael behind the plate, including a couple interesting moments with the ABS challenge system.

We also wrap up the trip and preview some of the conversations we recorded in Arizona with Sam Dykstra, Eric Longenhagen and more.

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Alex Stumpf opens up the OffBeat mailbag to answer some of the biggest questions surrounding the Pittsburgh Pirates heading into the offseason.

What does Konnor Griffin need to continue developing with his swing? Could Mitch Keller actually be traded? Should the Pirates bring Brandon Lowe back? Does this rotation need another left-handed starter? Alex gets into all of that and more while looking ahead to some of the decisions that could shape the Pirates in 2027.

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