Braxton Ashcraft faces a pivotal season—can he finally secure his spot in the Pittsburgh Pirates rotation, or is a bullpen future inevitable? Gary Morgan unpacks Ashcraft’s battle with repeated injuries, career resurgence post-Tommy John surgery, and the high stakes for 2026 as the Pirates eye rotation stability. With prospects like Bubba Chandler and Hunter Barco waiting in the wings, the competition heats up: who will emerge as Pittsburgh’s breakout star on the mound?

Gary Morgan also tackles burning listener questions on roster moves, the impact of acquiring Joe Nixon Garcia, and the domino effect on outfield depth, including Brian Reynolds. The episode features insight on potential trade chips like Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo, weighs the value of signing Wilmer Flores, and breaks down the Nolan Arenado trade’s implications for the Cardinals. As spring training nears, the call is clear: for the Pirates, it’s time to prove it on the field.

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Rocket Money
Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at http://RocketMoney.com/LOCKEDON

FanDuel
Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Every Friday night, before the games tip off, FanDuel gives fans a new way to kick off the weekend with NBA Happy Hour. Check the FanDuel app and see what’s dropping during NBA Happy Hour — every Friday from 6 to 7:30 PM Eastern. FanDuel — the Official Sportsbook Partner of the NBA.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tarik Skubal’s $32 million arbitration ask rocks the MLB landscape—could this bold move reset the standard for elite young pitchers like Paul Skenes? Gary Morgan breaks down how Skubal and agent Scott Boras are pushing the boundaries of salary comps, why Detroit’s counter offer signals a high-stakes standoff, and what this could mean for the future of team control and arbitration across baseball. How will the arbitration process evolve if these salary spikes become more common, and are the small-market Pittsburgh Pirates prepared to keep their homegrown stars?

Gary Morgan also explores Ben Cherrington’s checklist for the Pirates’ offseason, weighing key trade targets like Alec Bohm and Eugenio Suarez, and considers how Alex Bregman’s $175 million deal with the Chicago Cubs raises the bar in the NL Central. With all eyes on the left side of the infield and Pittsburgh’s rotation depth, the race for division supremacy just got a lot more intense.

Everydayer Club
If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans.

Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub

Rocket Money
Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at http://RocketMoney.com/LOCKEDON

FanDuel
Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Every Friday night, before the games tip off, FanDuel gives fans a new way to kick off the weekend with NBA Happy Hour. Check the FanDuel app and see what’s dropping during NBA Happy Hour — every Friday from 6 to 7:30 PM Eastern. FanDuel — the Official Sportsbook Partner of the NBA.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are moving into the next phase of building into a contender which means this offseason they must do a few things. It starts with improving the Pirates pitching staff.

Also, the second part of the Pirates offseason plan may be hard for some to accept but it is crucial. And the Pirates sweeping the Kansas City Royals has them primed to pass a key marker for the 2023 MLB season against the St Louis Cardinals.

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOPirates?sid=YouTube

Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More

🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnMLB

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

#Pirates #PittsburghPirates #MLB

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices