Who is Pitching for the Pirates Today?
Nobody. Honestly, if you were hoping to see Paul Skenes light up the radar gun at PNC Park this afternoon, you're a few months too early. It is January 16, 2026. The only thing throwing heat in Pittsburgh right now is probably a localized snow blower.
MLB players are currently deep in their offseason routines. Some are at Driveline in Washington tweaking their sweepers, others are probably golfing in Scottsdale. But even though there isn't a live box score to refresh, the question of who is pitching for the Pirates today in terms of the "virtual" 2026 depth chart has some very real, and somewhat surprising, answers.
The front office hasn't been sitting on their hands. General Manager Ben Cherington has been surprisingly aggressive—at least by Pittsburgh standards—shaking up a pitching staff that desperately needs to support their generational ace.
The Ace: Paul Skenes is the Constant
When you think about the Pirates' mound, you start and end with Skenes. Coming off an NL Cy Young season in 2025, he is the undisputed leader of this group. There’s no mystery here. He’s healthy, he’s dominant, and he is the 2026 Opening Day starter. Period.
While the rest of the league spent the Winter Meetings trying to find the next big thing, the Pirates already have him. He’s entering 2026 with a service time of exactly 2.000 years, making him the core around which everything else rotates.
The Mystery of Jared Jones
If you’ve been following the injury reports, you know the situation with Jared Jones has been a bit of a roller coaster. He spent a significant chunk of time on the 60-day IL after right elbow surgery.
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The good news? As of yesterday, January 15, the word around the facility is that Jones has officially started throwing off a mound again. This is massive. While his status for the very start of the 2026 season is still technically "questionable" or "probable for early April," seeing him back on the rubber is the best news Pirates fans could have received this week. He is the fireballing Robin to Skenes' Batman, and the team is clearly being cautious with his internal brace recovery.
The New-Look 2026 Rotation and Bullpen
The Pirates' depth chart looks wildly different than it did six months ago. Forget what you remember from last summer. There have been trades, non-tenders, and a few "wait, who?" additions that actually make a lot of sense if you squint.
The 2026 Starting Five (Projected)
Right now, if the season started this afternoon, the rotation would likely look like this:
- Paul Skenes: The flamethrower.
- Mitch Keller: The reliable veteran who eats 180 innings a year.
- Bubba Chandler: The young gun who many expect to contend for Rookie of the Year in 2026.
- Braxton Ashcraft: Currently penciled into that fourth spot.
- The Fifth Spot Battle: This is where it gets interesting. With Mike Burrows recently traded to the Houston Astros in that three-team Brandon Lowe deal, the door is wide open. We're looking at Mason Montgomery (acquired from Tampa) or potentially Thomas Harrington if he has a big spring.
The Johan Oviedo Trade
One name you won't see in the mix for who is pitching for the Pirates today is Johan Oviedo. In a move that split the fanbase right down the middle, the Pirates traded Oviedo to the Boston Red Sox back in December.
Why? They wanted Jhostynxon Garcia. Garcia is a top-100 outfield prospect with a name that is a nightmare for jersey stitchers but a dream for scouts. The Pirates are betting that their surplus of young arms like Bubba Chandler and Seth Hernandez (the 2025 first-round pick) makes Oviedo expendable.
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Bullpen Reinforcements
The relief corps got a facelift too. Gregory Soto is the big addition here. The lefty signed a one-year, $7.75 million deal during the Winter Meetings to stabilize the back end.
The team also avoided arbitration with several key guys on January 8th. Dennis Santana and Justin Lawrence are both locked in for 2026. On the flip side, the Pirates moved on from Colin Holderman and Dauri Moreta, non-tendering them in November. It’s a clear signal: the 2025 bullpen wasn't good enough, and they aren't afraid to let familiar names walk.
What to Expect Next
We are in the "dead zone" of the MLB calendar, but for a team like Pittsburgh, this is when the roster actually takes shape. The search for who is pitching for the Pirates today doesn't end with the names currently on the 40-man roster.
Watch the Waiver Wire
The Pirates have been active on the wire all winter. They claimed Marco Luciano (who they later lost to the Orioles) and have been shuffling guys like Chase Shugart—who was recently traded to the Phillies for infielder Francisco Loreto.
Expect more of this. Cherington loves his minor league trades. He’s looking for depth arms that can handle the 6th or 7th inning without giving Pirates fans a collective heart attack.
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Non-Roster Invitees
As we head toward February, keep an eye on the minor league signings. The team just brought in Chris Devenski and Noah Davis on minor league deals. These aren't "sexy" moves, but they are the guys who end up starting a random Tuesday night game in June when someone gets a blister.
How to Follow Along
If you're looking for the most up-to-the-minute info on the 2026 season, the MLB "Probable Pitchers" page is your best bet once Spring Training starts in late February. For now, the transactions log is your bible.
The Pirates are currently a team in transition. They have the best pitcher in the world in Skenes, a recovering star in Jones, and a bunch of "ifs" in the back of the rotation.
Whether this group can finally push past that 71-91 record from 2025 depends entirely on if those "ifs" turn into "whens." Check back in late February when the balls actually start flying in Florida. Until then, keep an eye on those minor league transactions—that's where the real 2026 season is being built.
Actionable Insights for Pirates Fans:
- Monitor the Jared Jones rehab: His mound sessions this month are the single most important factor for the 2026 rotation's ceiling.
- Scout Mason Montgomery: As the "player to be named later" style piece in the Brandon Lowe trade, he's the dark horse for the rotation.
- Watch the 40-man count: The Pirates have been cycling through DFA candidates quickly; the final bullpen spot is still very much up for grabs.