Pirates Begin Exclusive Talks With Free Agents
The team has a five-day window to negotiate with Brandon Lowe, Gregory Soto, and Kirby Yates before the qualifying offer deadline.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Baseball
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The Pittsburgh Pirates have entered a five-day exclusive negotiation window for free agents Brandon Lowe, Gregory Soto, and Kirby Yates. This period allows the club to engage with these players ahead of the upcoming deadline for qualifying offers.
Why it matters
The team must decide by Monday whether to extend a $23.15 million qualifying offer to its pending free agents. Brandon Lowe, who finished the season with 35 home runs, is expected to decline such an offer if it is presented.
Brandon Lowe led the team with 35 home runs and 96 RBIs while posting a .493 slugging percentage and an .824 OPS. The club finished the season with an 82-80 record.
The players
Brandon Lowe
He is an infielder who led the team with 35 home runs and 96 RBIs last season.
Gregory Soto
He is a professional baseball player currently entering a five-day exclusive negotiation window with the club.
Kirby Yates
He is a veteran pitcher who announced his retirement from professional baseball in late September.
Pittsburgh Pirates
This is a professional Major League Baseball franchise based in Pittsburgh that concluded their season with an 82-80 record.
The details
The Pittsburgh Pirates have not extended a qualifying offer to any player since November 2014. While Gregory Soto and the now-retired Kirby Yates are also within this negotiation group, attention remains on the status of Lowe and the team's broader off-season roster strategy.
Timeline
The exclusive negotiation window opened Thursday at 9 a.m.
The deadline for teams to extend qualifying offers is Monday.
Season Trajectory
These negotiations represent the initial moves of the off-season as the front office looks to build upon an 82-80 finish. The decisions made regarding these players will dictate the club's financial flexibility and roster composition for the upcoming year.
Extending a qualifying offer carries a $23.15 million price tag that would count against the team's future payroll flexibility. If the offer is declined, the club would typically receive draft pick compensation upon the player signing with a new organization.
The takeaway
The negotiation window provides a brief period of clarity before the complex off-season market officially begins. Fans should monitor the Monday deadline as it serves as a primary indicator of the team's commitment to retaining key offensive contributors.
Further reading
For more updates on the team, check out the Baseball section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TribLIVE.
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