Could Antwone Kelly Be the Pirates’ Next Bullpen Answer?

Alex Stumpf takes a closer look at Antwone Kelly and why the Pirates may need to keep him on the radar as an internal bullpen option in 2026. Kelly has struggled at Triple-A Indianapolis this season, but his recent outing against Detroit’s Triple-A affiliate showed the kind of swing-and-miss stuff that made him one of the more interesting arms in the system.

With Jared Jones nearing a return, Wilber Dotel already getting a major league opportunity, and the Pirates bullpen still searching for reliable help, could Kelly eventually become a legitimate middle-relief weapon? Alex breaks down the stuff, the command concerns, the possible splitter development, and why the Pirates may have to explore every internal option if the bullpen continues to hold them back.

Listen to OffBeat with Alex Stumpf, presented by FanDuel, for your daily look at the Pittsburgh Pirates.

.substack.com/

Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UC9ZY250XUYiS-yX7xOQCdLA/join

*Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at defer.coffee*

**Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at seatgeek.com**

!

NS9 MERCH: northshorenine.myshopify.com

►Patreon:
patreon.com/NorthShoreNine
►Website:
northshorenine.com
►Twitter:
twitter.com/northshorenine
►TikTok:
tiktok.com/@northshorenine
►Instagram:
instagram.com/northshorenine
►Facebook:
facebook.com/northshorenine
►Discord:
discord.gg/3HVYPg544m

#pittsburghpirates