Pirates DFA Long-Time Outfielder
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have made many decisions on how they'll make their roster better this offseason, including moving on from certain players.
Robert Murray of FanSided reported that the Pirates have designated outfielder Jack Suwinski for assignment. Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also noted that he did not see Suwinski with the Pirates for the first full-team workout day at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla.
Beazley also speculated that this move would clear a spot on the 40-man roster for new signing in designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, who the Pirates still haven't officially signed yet.
The Pirates designating Suwinski for assignment means that he will go through waivers, with all 29 MLB teams getting a chance to claim him and put him on their 40-man roster.
If no team does claim him, he will likely go back to the Pirates minor league system and then elect free agency. Pittsburgh did sign Suwinski to a one-year, $1.25 million deal this offseason to avoid arbitration on Nov. 18, but this moves signals they're moving in a different direction.
How This Impacts the Pirates Outfield
The Pirates now have six outfielders on the 40-man roster, which includes center fielder Oneil Cruz and right fielder Bryan Reynolds.
It also includes new acquisitions in Jake Mangum and prospect Jhostynxon García, who both came in trades from the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox, respectively.
Billy Cook and Esmerlyn Valdez are the two other outfielders on the 40-man roster. Cook has had two short stints with the Pirates the past two seasons, while Valdez had a breakout season and earned a spot, as the team protected him from the Rule 5 Draft.
Ozuna has played just twice in the outfield the past two seasons, mostly serving as a designated hitter, so that likely means he won't play there in 2026.
Fellow free agent signing Ryan O'Hearn has experience in both corner outfield spots and will likely play in those positions more often than anticipated.
Mangum also played in all three outfield spots his rookie season, with 46 starts in 63 games played in left field, making him another option.
Jack Suwinski Struggled Massively in 2025
Suwinski had a poor year at the plate for the Pirates in 2025, as he slashed .147/.281/.253 for an OPS of .534 in 59 games over two MLB stints, 22 hits in 150 at-bats, seven doubles, three home runs, 10 RBI and 24 walks to 57 strikeouts.
He had a spot on the Pirates roster on Opening Day and had tremendous issues from the plate, hitting .128/.244/.154 for an OPS of .398, with just five hits in 39 at-bats and six walks to 19 strikeouts in 16 games.
Suwinski had the lowest batting average for any Pirates player who had as many at-bats as him, and he had just two hits in 18 at-bats in his last nine games, before the Pirates optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis on April 24.
He came back as the 27th man for a doubleheader vs. the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on June 19, before heading back to Triple-A the day after.
The Pirates brought him back up on July 8 and he spent the rest of the season with the team, aside from a stint on the injured list with a groin injury.
Suwinski slashed .157/.289/.296 for an OPS of .585 in 41 games during that stint, 17 hits in 108 at-bats, six doubles, three home runs, nine RBI and 16 walks to 37 strikeouts.
Struggles for Suwinski Go Back Further Than Last Season
His issues from the plate didn't start in 2025 and began in the 2024 campaign.
Suwinski slashed .182/.264/.324 for an OPS of .588 in 88 games in 2024, 45 hits in 247 at-bats, eight doubles, nine home runs, 26 RBIs and 27 walks to 79 strikeouts, which resulted in him earning two demotions to the minor leagues.
He did have a great season in 2023 with the Pirates, slashing .224/.339/.454 for an OPS of .793 in 144 games, with 100 hits, 21 doubles, two triples, a team-high 26 home runs, 74 RBIs and 75 walks to 172 strikeouts.
Suwinski will now likely look elsewhere for an opportunity to get his MLB career back on track and show the power he once did.
He slashed .199/.305/.389 for an OPS of .694 in 397 games over the past four seasons for the Pirates, with 233 hits, 47 doubles, 57 home runs, 148 RBI and 167 walks to 422 strikeouts.
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.