Pirates Urged to Pursue Free Agent Duo
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have gone after free agent hitters this offseason, but still haven't landed any of those players yet.
Some of these players chose other teams, in the likes of Kyle Schwarber, Josh Naylor, Pete Alonso and Jorge Polanco.
The Pirates reportedly offered Schwarber a four-year, $125 million contract and Naylor upwards of $78 million, showing their intent, but still falling short.
Despite their losses in free agency so far, the Pirates still have some great pieces they can add for 2026.
Two Free Agents the Pirates Should Pursue
MLB insider Jim Bowden spoke on Foul Territory about the Pirates and their offseason dealings so far.
He suggested that the Pirates need to overpay much more for free agents compared to other teams, due to their lack of winning in recent seasons and because they're a small market.
Bowden sees the Pirates have a great starting pitching rotation and that if they do add offense, they can be a great team, but must offer more than what the market suggests.
Two players he suggested included designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn and third baseman Eugenio Suárez
“Ryan O’Hearn, Eugenio Suárez. Two examples. Two bats,” Bowden said. “Add some offense, 50 home runs to the lineup.”
Why the Pirates Would Benefit From Adding O'Hearn
O'Hearn isn't a generational hitter like Schwarber is, but his .437 slugging percentage and .803 OPS were both, by far, better than any hitter the Pirates had.
He is also a versatile player, able to play both corner spots in the outfield, first base and designated hitter.
The Pirates haven't made a decision on their designated hitter for next season, which could include re-signing Andrew McCutchen, moving Bryan Reynolds there, or signing a free agent for that spot.
O'Hearn isn't necessarily the greatest fielder, but his ability to fill in for Reynolds in right field and give the Pirates some extra depth at left field, a position of great need, and also a backup to Spencer Horwitz at first base, is something the Pirates should consider.
He is also a left-handed batter, like Horwitz, but unlike the Pirates first baseman, O'Hearn can hit left-handed pitchers, slashing .278/.358/.474 for an OPS of .832 in 97 at-bats vs. southpaws last season.
O'Hearn has also performed better since the Kansas City Royals traded him to the Baltimore Orioles ahead of the 2023 season.
Year | Batting Average | On-Base Percentage | Slugging Percentage | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | .289 | .322 | .480 | .802 |
2024 | .264 | .334 | .427 | .761 |
2025 | .281 | .366 | .437 | .803 |
Year | Hits | Doubles | Home Runs | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | 100 | 22 | 14 | 60 |
2024 | 117 | 21 | 15 | 59 |
2025 | 133 | 21 | 17 | 63 |
The Pirates, who hit the least home runs in baseball last season at 117, could use some solid power from O'Hearn next season.
What the Pirates Would Get in Eugenio Suárez
Suárez would serve as a massive boost for the Pirates, with only five other players having more home runs than him since 2018.
He has never hit less than 21 home runs in a season in his career, where he played more than 100 games, which is more than any Pirates player had this season, with center fielder Oneil Cruz leading with 20 home runs.
Season (Games) | Home Runs |
|---|---|
2016 (159) | 21 |
2017 (156) | 26 |
2018 (143) | 34 |
2019 (159) | 49 |
2021 (145) | 31 |
2022 (140) | 31 |
2023 (162) | 22 |
2024 (158) | 30 |
2025 (159) | 49 |
The Pirates struggled massively from the plate this past season, especially with a lack of power, posting the worst OPS (.655) and slugging percentage (.350) in all of baseball.
They also haven't had a strong hitting third baseman, moving on from Gold Glove Award winner Ke'Bryan Hayes ahead of the trade deadline, sending him to the Cincinnati Reds on July 30.
Suárez served as one of the best hitting third baseman in baseball last season, slashing .228/.298/.526 for an OPS of .824 in 159 games, with 134 hits, 28 doubles, 49 home runs, 118 RBIs and 46 walks to 196 strikeouts.
Those 49 home runs matched a career high in 2019 and served as the fifth most in baseball.
Suárez had a strong showing in the postseason for the Seattle Mariners, where they made the ALCS and almost the World Series, before falling in seven games to the Toronto Blue Jays.
He slashed .213/.275/.426 for an OPS of .700, with 10 hits in 47 at-bats, a double, three home runs, eight RBIs and four walks to 18 strikeouts.
The Pirates not only would get a home run hitter, but someone with playoff experience too, which is crucial for a team vying for the postseason.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.