Pirates Must Go After This Free Agent Third Baseman

Adding an infielder seems like the final piece to the Pittsburgh Pirates offseason agenda.

They still might want to add another pitcher or two, depending on who they add and what their asking price is, but losing out on Kazuma Okamoto put them in a unique position.

There are still plenty of free agents on the table, but no one realistically expects this Pirates team to land a guy like Bo Bichette. While they might not be the frontrunners for Eugenio Suárez, that doesn't mean they shouldn't go after him.

Suárez would fill the role they had planned for Okamoto. Okamoto's decision to go to the Toronto Blue Jays isn't super surprising, but the Pirates want to make sure they keep up at a frantic pace this offseason by making the most of these key free agents on the market.

Pirates Must Shift Focus To Eugenio Suárez

Oct 17, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suarez (28) celebrates after winning game five of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

No one can fault this team for not landing Okamoto, as they seemingly did everything in their power to bring him in. Okamoto's deal north of the border is one that will likely guarantee him a playoff spot throughout most of his contract, if not the entire thing.

Pittsburgh has been trending in the right direction, but they still feel like they're a piece or two away. Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter actually predicted the Pirates would land Suárez, something that is music to their ears.

He sees Suárez in the five-hole and obviously filling the role of the everyday third baseman. If they were to bring in Suarez, that would still put the team in an uncomfortable position with either Jared Triolo or Nick Gonzales at shortstop until Konnor Griffin works his way up to the majors.

Pirates Could Use Another Quality Bat

In no world should the Cy Young winner have a 10-10 record, but that's exactly what happened to Paul Skenes. Time and time again, this offense failed to contribute as they left him with little to no run support.

The additions of Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn were steps in the right direction, but it never hurts to add another quality bat. Suárez would be just that, as he could arguably become the best hitter on this Pirates roster.

The 34-year-old is creeping up there in age, but that hasn't been a huge detriment to his performance. His numbers post-trade deadline weren't ideal, but this could be the Pirates' only chance to buy low on a guy who could be a massive asset for the next few years.

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