Pitchers and catchers for the Pittsburgh Pirates will report to Bradenton, Florida for spring training starting next week.

After a disappointing season that saw the Pirates waste the dominance of NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes and finish the season 76-86, the Pirates and their fans are hoping this is finally the year where the team finds a way to turn things around.

One of the ways they can do that is by getting some better bullpen production. Ironically, last season Pittsburgh’s relievers were supposed to be the strength of the team’s pitching staff, and they were supposed to help save a largely inexperienced and unproven starting rotation.

Instead, it was the rotation that was trying their best to keep the staff afloat, and the bullpen would routinely blow games.

In his very limited moves in the offseason, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington signed two relievers to major league deals to try and help bolster the bullpen.

Caleb Ferguson and Tim Mayza are both signed on the cheap, coming off down years but who have track records of very solid pitching. Ferguson is a career 3.68 ERA pitcher in over 250 innings, and Mayza is a career 3.88 guy in just over 300 innings. It also helps a ton that both guys are lefties, something the Pirates needed.

As much as I think we would have all liked for the Pirates to throw around a ton of money and give that rotation as much support when they come out as they can, Ferguson and Mayza aren’t bad signings by any means.

And since the Pirates have committed to the “buy low” method this winter, there’s one more reliever they should toss into that mix.

Craig Kimbrel.

(Featured photo by Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports)