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It only takes one or two pitches to be a bona fide Major League reliever. While starters usually need three, four or five offerings to go through a lineup multiple times, a reliever just needs to worry about getting three outs. One key pitch could be enough to control an at-bat or a whole outing -- and for many young pitchers who are just looking for an opportunity, to make a career.

The Pirates have added a handful of new relievers to their 40 man roster this winter, and with them, a handful of new pitches that could make an impact in 2025. Here¡¯s a look at three.

Peter Strzelecki¡¯s slider

Strzelecki looked like a pleasant surprise in the Brewers bullpen in 2022, posting a 2.83 ERA over his first 30 Major League games. He tweaked his arm angle going into 2023 and his results dipped, leading him to bounce around for two years. He found some success with the Guardians late in the year, which could be a sign of things to come.

"I figured out, really just the arm slot,¡± Strzelecki said at PiratesFest. ¡°I am a lower guy, but I was a little too low.¡±

His slider certainly moves from that arm slot. Going by Baseball Savant data, it moves 7.7 more inches horizontally than the average slider from that release point, giving him a unique look that can run away from hitters. And even in that disappointing 2023 campaign, the slider had a very healthy 31.4% whiff rate.

Chase Shugart¡¯s sweeper

Shugart¡¯s sweeper also gets a ton of horizontal movement, about 4.5 inches more than average. That¡¯s what over 2,800 RPM of spin can do.

Shugart¡¯s sweeper had a 31.3% whiff rate in Minor League parks where pitches were tracked, as well as a whiff rate over 30% in his brief Major League cameo. He has a five pitch mix -- a cutter, changeup and four-seam and sinking fastballs round out the arsenal -- but he¡¯s a sweeper-first pitcher. Simplifying the pitch mix, or at the very least leaning on his best pitch more, could make him a player in the bullpen.

Kyle Nicolas¡¯ changeup

Not all new pitches need to come from new pitchers. In his end of season exit interview, the Pirates suggested that Nicolas should add a changeup or splitter. Nicolas opted for the former, which could be a nice complement to his pitch mix. He can pump upper-90s fastballs and high spin breaking balls that move horizontally. Now if he could add a pitch that kills the spin and drops with a change in velocity, it could help the other stuff play up.

The fastball, curveball and slider are going to remain his primary pitches, but the threat of a good changeup could be effective by itself.

¡°In the hitter's mindset, [you want them to think] ¡®he might throw it here,¡¯¡± Nicolas explained at PiratesFest. ¡°He might have something moving the other way with all my spin pitches. It's definitely something I've put a big emphasis on. It's a different look for the hitters. Being confident enough to have them respect that he might throw this here."