Don’t be duped, Nutting won’t pay

Pirates owner Bob Nutting said that GM Ben Cherington would have the flexibility to add players (and payroll) before the July 30 MLB trade deadline if the situation dictated.

The situation dictates, however marginally: The Pirates are three games out of the National League’s third and final wild card. The Pirates have the pitching to make up that ground if they get an injection of offense. That pitching could win playoff series.

But Nutting lies to the fans. It’s being reported that Nutting told his front office that the Pirates can’t afford to make significant additions.

That, in itself, is also a lie. Of course, the Pirates can afford to boost payroll.

According to Forbes, the Pirates’ operating income last year was $68 million.

The franchise is valued at $1.32 billion.

Home attendance is on pace to hit 1.73 million this year, up from 1.63 million last year and from 1.26 million in 2022. The Paul Skenes effect and being a marginal contender might push this season’s figure north of 1.8 million. Skenes also moves lots of merchandise.

The Pirates payroll is $85.2 million, second-lowest in MLB and $11 million behind Tampa Bay, which sits third-bottom. San Diego is MLB’s median payroll, ranking 15th at $163.4 million.

This isn’t a matter of “can’t afford.”

It’s a matter of “don’t want to.”

When will this stupid town get through its head that the Pirates have no intent to win beyond what happens cheaply and coincidentally? Winning isn’t the plan. Maximizing profit is.

When Skenes arrived, the window opened.

Yet, we hear “can’t afford.” It’s a brilliant long con. Admirably in its length, profit and how badly it’s got the marks fooled.

The Steelers and Penguins always do their best to win. When they don’t, they’re vilified. But the Pirates are the little engine that could. (Gag.)

The Pirates will not win significantly with Skenes. Probably won’t even make the playoffs. Not least because he won’t be with the Pirates that long.

Skenes is eligible for arbitration after the 2026 season. That process could easily award him $20 million for a single season. Nutting won’t pay that. Skenes will get traded. Just like arbitration precluded Gerrit Cole’s departure.

Bryan Reynolds’ pay jumps to $14.25 million in 2026, $15.25 million in each of the four seasons after. Nutting won’t pay that. Reynolds will get traded.

Mitch Keller will get $15.4 million next season, then $16.9 million, $18.4 million and $20.4 million in the three seasons after. Nutting won’t pay that. Keller will get traded.

Jared Jones is eligible for arbitration after the 2026 season, Oneil Cruz after next season.

The window slams shut when Skenes departs. You’ve got this year, then two more. Maybe three.

Do you believe Nutting will ever spend what it takes to put the Pirates over the top? He won’t commit another nickel this year. That’s with Skenes in town, attendance rising and the Pirates’ payroll ranking 29th out of 30.

BTW, none of the looming salaries due Skenes, Reynolds, Keller, Jones and Cruz will be unreasonable by MLB standards. They’re not “too much.” Nutting just won’t want to pay them.

Not to worry, though. After the Skenes era expires, the Pirates will segue into the Bubba Chandler era. New prospects. Better prospects. Now, finally, it’s time to win.

The Pirates won’t trade prospects to win now. They need those prospects for the next phase of the con. To perpetuate.

On the bright side, I can keep writing this column over and over again, switching certain facts in and out, and get paid. That’s my end of the con.

The con has lots of fans fooled. Lots of media, too.

I heard one radio host talk about clearing money to bring in more bats by trading Ke’Bryan Hayes.

There’s no salary cap. The Pirates don’t have to “clear money.” They have plenty to spend. They just won’t.

Then, on Tuesday, the Pirates’ bats exploded at Milwaukee. Five home runs, mostly hit by bums. Pirates win, 12-2.

See? The Pirates don’t need to trade for anybody. They can win with who they’ve got. Masterful and timely deflecting.