The bullpen needs more thunder, and it may not come through free agency
With the signing of Caleb Ferguson, the Pirates made their first significant addition to their bullpen. However, they could use two more legitimate additions to make fans feel more comfortable with the group heading to Spring Training. Here are three trade candidates from the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays, two teams that may still be looking to cut payroll and acquire more prospects.
Garrett Cleavinger – LHP Tampa Bay Rays
Although the Pirates made their much-needed left-handed addition to the bullpen in Ferguson, with Joey Wentz being their only other option, they need a third option they can rely on. Cleavinger had his first entire MLB season with the Rays last year at age 30, and he was solid with a 3.75 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 60 innings pitched. Cleavinger’s delivery and arm action make the ball challenging to pick up on from the batter’s box. He has a four-pitch mix with a high-movement sweeper and an unhittable four-seamer ranging from 96-98 MPH in 2024, as the batting average against his fastball was .089.
Cleavinger has two more years of arbitration eligibility and is signed for $1.2 million in 2025. This move is unlikely, but it would allow the Rays to continue their youth movement and give some younger arms a chance.
Anthony Bender – RHP Miami Marlins
His last name fits his pitching style, as the insane movement on Anthony Bender’s sinker and sweeper are all he needs to be one of the most reliable arms in Miami’s bullpen. Bender struggled early last season after missing all of 2023 with Tommy John surgery but quickly returned to form, as he finished the year with a 4.08 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched.
The Marlins are in a complete rebuild, and at the right price, anyone is available. Bender is entering his age-30 season but has much left in the tank. Like Cleavinger, he is arbitration-eligible for two more seasons and signed in 2025 for $1.4 million.
Pete Fairbanks – RHP Tampa Bay Rays
With how unreliable Colin Holderman and David Bednar were last season in the setup man and closer roles, the Pirates could go big if they want to secure the backend of their bullpen and potentially create a three-headed monster if Holderman and Bednar return to form.
The 6’6” Pete Fairbanks can be one of the most dominant relievers in all of baseball at his best, and his name was thrown around during the Rays fire sale during the Trade Deadline, but he ultimately ended up staying. His fastball reached as high as 101.3 MPH in 2023, his overall best season of his career, and his changeup sits in the mid-90s. Fairbanks would be a risky addition, considering he has been haunted by injuries his entire career, and his velocity ticked down slightly last year, in which he still put up decent numbers but was not nearly as dominant.
He is in the last season of a three-year, $12 million deal with the Rays and has a $7 million club option in 2026. Considering his injuries and price tag in 2026, Tampa Bay will likely want to get value for him; the question is whether they will gamble waiting until the 2025 Trade Deadline to see if his value skyrockets.