Free-agency is officially underway, and the Pittsburgh Pirates have several positions that need tuning up before the start of Spring Training. Although the team needs to address several issues, there are
at least three free-agent players that could fit within the Pirates’ offseason plans.
Third Baseman Eugenio Suarez
The Pirates traded two-time Gold Glove winner Ke’Bryan Hayes to Cincinnati at the trade deadline, leaving a vacant spot at third base. Jared Triolo would see a majority of the reps at third with the departure of Hayes, and played like a world class defender. Trilo is a very average hitter though, and the team as a whole could use some offensive firepower. 34-year-old Eugenio Suarez could bring that kind of firepower.
Suarez is coming off a season where he had 49 homers between Arizona and Seattle, which more than doubles the leader in homers for the Pirates in 2025, as Oneil Cruz had only 20. Suarez could join the team and immediately be the best hitter on the team. Not to mention given his age, and cool down period during the back half of the season, the Pirates could get him on a more affordable short-term deal. Defensively, Triolo is a better, younger option, but he can play practically anywhere on the field, so his impact won’t be lost if the team signs a veteran third baseman like Suarez.
Infielder Jorge Polanco
Among this free-agent class, the highest-rated shortstop is Bo Bichette, but I think it’s safe to say that he is out of reach for the Pirates. With that being said, the team does absolutely need to address what they’re going to do about shortstop. Konnor Griffin is on a rocket ship trajectory, but I still think the organization is going to be patient with him, and he won’t see meaningful Major League action until 2027. In the interim, the team should go after Jorge Polanco.
Polanco is coming off a strong season in which he helped the Seattle Mariners reach the ALCS, and had game winning-hits in three consecutive contests during that playoff run. Polanco is another player that is north of 30, so his value is dropping as the minutes tick by, which should make him someone that Pittsburgh can have on their radar. Ideally, Polanco could play either second base or shortstop, with Nick Gonzales playing opposite of him. Again, the most value he brings to this lineup is his offensive output, as he tallied 26 home runs in 2025. Even if Griffin does get called up in 2026, the Pirates can very easily play Gonzales on the opposite side of the infield or even at third base if that spot still needs filled.
Lefty reliever Sean Newcomb
The Pirates could have the best starting pitching rotation in baseball next year, with Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, Mitch Keller, and others forming a formidable group. I honestly think the Pirates could go after another starting pitcher in free-agency, but the group they have now and the talent they’ve seen in the Minor Leagues over the past couple of years has proven to be one of the team’s bright spots. The bullpen could use some work however, and the Pirates are in need of several pieces there, but specifically a left-handed reliever. Sean Newcomb could be a great fit in Pittsburgh.
Newcomb stands out for his flexibility, as he had several starts in 2025 for the Athletics and Red Sox. His ability to start gives the Pirates added insurance on days when the rotation is beat up and the bullpen needs to step in. As a lefty reliever, Newcomb adds instant value to a depleted Pirates’ squad that currently has Hunter Barco and Evan Sisk as the only left-handed pitchers on the 40-man roster. Newcomb had a 2.73 ERA in 2025, striking out 91 batters in 92.1 innings.
Historical Lows
In terms of total dollars committed, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been historically low spenders in free-agency. The largest free-agent contract they ever handed out was to Francisco Liriano in 2014 for three-years $39 million. Liriano was then traded to Toronto in 2016, where he played out the rest of that contract. Given the history of low spending in free-agency one could assume that Ben Cherington and Bob Nutting aren’t going to make any splash moves, but this is a historically deep free-agency class, so perhaps they can get some of these more marquee players for a discounted price.
