Pirates Still Interested in Top Free Agent Third Baseman
In this story:
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have made some impressive moves this offseason, but they would like to make some more if possible.
The additions of second baseman Brandon Lowe by trade and free agent slugger Ryan O'Hearn should improve a Pirates lineup that was one of the worst in all of baseball in 2025.
Pittsburgh also added two outfielders in Jake Mangum in the Lowe trade with the Tampa Bay Rays and top 100 prospect Jhostynxon García in a trade with the Boston Red Sox.
The Pirates could now addresses a lack of depth on the left side of the infield with in free agent Eugenio Suárez, whom Ken Rosenthal mentioned the Pirates still have interest in on the Foul Territory podcast.
Will the Pirates Sign Eugenio Suárez?
Rosenthal noted that while the Pirates have interest in Suárez, he likely has other options that are more desirable, especially if they are already contenders.
The Pirates have not made the postseason since 2015 nor had a winning season since 2018, which are both the second-longest streaks in the major leagues, with only the Los Angeles Angels having longer droughts.
"I would certainly expect, and actually know that the Pirates are interested in Eugenio Suárez and the problem they're going to face is the problem they've faced with other free agents as well," Rosenthal said.
"If Eugenio Suárez has chance to play for a more competitive team, in his opinion, he's going to choose that team."
"If Eugenio Suárez can go to Boston, if he can return to one of his former teams, Seattle or Arizona, that might be his preference."
The Pirates may also have issues with payroll, when it comes to signing Suárez, as they are already around $90-$95 million with the additions of Lowe and O'Hearn.
Spotrac puts the market value of Suárez at two years, $29.9 million, or about $15 million per season. Kiley McDaniel of ESPN has him at two years, $45 million, $22.5 million per season, while Jim Bowden of The Athletic has Suárez at three years, $72 million, or $24 million per year.
The Pirates will likely have to overpay for his services, either with more money per year (AAV) or a longer contract, or likely both, if Suárez actually has interest in playing in Pittsburgh.
Fellow top free agent third baseman Alex Bregman signing with the Chicago Cubs on a five-year, $175 million deal means that Suárez will also command a top contract from potential suitors.
The Pirates would benefit incredibly from his bat, but they still will want to make additions in a left-handed starting pitcher and a closer. If contract demands go too high, they'll probably pivot to the trade market or a much cheaper third baseman in free agency.
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.
Hayes, who was in the middle of an eight-year, $70 million contract with the Pirates, finished this season with the lowest slugging percentage (.306) and the second-lowest OPS (.596), plus the 14th-lowest on-base percentage (.290) and 24th-lowest batting average (.235).
There is a big trade off between having Hayes, who just won his second Gold Glove Award, and Suárez, who ranked towards the bottom of defensive third basemen, with -4 runs prevented and -6 outs above average (OAA).
Pittsburgh needs hitting more than defense and only one hitter in franchise history has hit more than 49 home runs in a season, which was Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, with 54 home runs in 1949 and 51 home runs in 1947.
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.