Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Martín Pérez delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Thursday, July 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
The list of left-handed pitchers to make a start for the Pirates in 2026: Mason Montgomery. That’s it. That’s the list.
Montgomery was an opener five times before cementing himself as the team’s closer. Pittsburgh did not have a traditional starting pitcher toe the rubber in any of their 162 games this season.
As things stand, the Pirates will have five right-handers in their starting rotation for 2027. Paul Skenes and Braxton Ashcraft were both All-Stars. Jared Jones pitched very well in his return from elbow surgery. Bubba Chandler made 30 starts in his first full big-league season. Mitch Keller’s season ended with an injury but serves as the veteran of the staff.
It’s possible the Pirates try to trade Keller. That could prove to be a difficult task given his poor season, injury and contract. If they are able to move him, general manager Ben Cherington could look to replace him with a southpaw.
Here are six possible options.
David Peterson
2026 stats: 9-8, 4.79 ERA, 148.1 innings, 157 hits, 65 walks, 137 strikeouts, 32 appearances/23 starts
It was a down year for Peterson, but his 3.96 FIP indicates he could be due for some positive regression next season. The 31-year-old was an All-Star with the Mets in 2025. Given his down year, he could be looking for a one-year prove-it deal. He also ranks in the 96th-percentile for extension, which Pittsburgh loves.
Kris Bubic
2026 stats: 4-2, 3.76 ERA, 55 innings, 40 hits, 26 walks, 56 strikes, 14 appearances/nine starts
Bubic has dealt with injuries but has been an All-Star caliber pitcher (he earned a nod with the Royals in 2025) when healthy. Like Peterson, the 29-year-old Bubic could desire a one-year deal and look for a bigger contract next offseason.
Matthew Boyd
2026 stats: 10-5, 3.91 ERA, 126.2 innings, 114 hits, 39 walks, 96 strikeouts, 22 starts
Boyd had a strong two-year run with the Cubs. He was an All-Star last year and again pitched well this season. The 35-year-old has made 221 starts in his 12-year big-league career.
Robbie Ray
2026 stats: 13-8, 3.59 ERA, 165.2 innings, 140 hits, 84 walks, 140 strikeouts, 31 appearances/30 starts
Ray has led the league in walks each of the last two seasons but it hasn’t affected his performance. The 35-year-old was an All-Star with the Giants in 2025 was effective again this year.
Martín Pérez
2026 stats: 9-9, 3.04 ERA, 142 innings, 119 hits, 62 walks, 102 strikeouts, 30 appearances/26 starts
How about a possible reunion? Pérez pitched for the Pirates in 2024 and is coming off a surprisingly good season with the Braves. The 35-year-old should also be much more affordable than the others mentioned.
Patrick Sandoval
2026 stats: 1-7, 5.12 ERA, 70.1 innings, 86 hits, 32 walks, 73 strikeouts, 15 appearances/13 starts
Sandoval returned to the mound for the first time since 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The surface numbers weren’t great, but some of the metrics paint a more positive picture. The 30-year-old had a 4.01 ERA in 107 appearances/100 starts with the Angels from 2019-24 before joining the Red Sox.
Mentioned in this article:David Peterson Kris Bubic Martin Perez Matthew Boyd Patrick Sandoval Pittsburgh Pirates Robbie Ray
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