Trevor Rogers Could Add a Left-Handed Arm to Pittsburgh’s Rotation

Pittsburgh’s projected 2027 rotation features five right-handed pitchers: Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, Mitch Keller, Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler. The Pirates could add depth by pursuing Rogers, who is entering free agency after two seasons with Baltimore.

Rogers has made 48 starts over those two years, going 19-14 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. His 2025 season was especially strong: he went 9-3 with a 1.81 ERA across 109⅔ innings, striking out 103 and walking 29.

His fastball was a strength in 2026, while his changeup declined sharply. Rogers also draws swings outside the strike zone and limits walks and hard contact. Injuries remain a concern: a right knee subluxation kept him out for the first two months of 2025, and a left biceps strain sidelined him for most of 2023.

Baltimore offered Rogers a qualifying offer worth $23.15 million for 2027. Contract estimates cited in the report range from three years and $64 million to five years and $115 million. Each projected average annual value would exceed Keller’s $18.5 million salary for 2027, currently the highest on Pittsburgh’s roster.

The Pirates’ payroll is projected at $100 million before new signings, and the team has other potential needs, including the bullpen, third base and a right-handed bat. Rogers could provide valuable innings if healthy, but the cost may make a Pittsburgh deal unlikely.