The Pittsburgh Pirates’ offseason is off to an exciting start. Not only did they heavily pursue All-Star first baseman Josh Naylor before he signed with the Seattle Mariners, but they’re also reportedly considering giving top prospect Konnor Griffin a chance to win the Opening Day shortstop job.
While Naylor didn’t work out, the Pirates have plenty of time to pivot. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, one player they’re interested in is National League home run champ Kyle Schwarber.
Passan reported on Tuesday that “Pittsburgh is in on Schwarber,” who led the National League with 56 home runs last season.
Schwarber, who’s a free agent now after four years with the Philadelphia Phillies, is already nearby, making the Pirates a good fit if he doesn’t want to go far.
Pittsburgh ranked last in scoring, home runs and slugging percentage last season, so it could desperately use a slugger like Schwarber. The three-time All-Star has two NL home run crowns in the last four seasons and is one of the best power hitters in the game.
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Last season, he hit nearly half as many homers as the Pirates’ entire lineup, making him a great potential solution to their power woes.
Although he turns 33 next year, Schwarber will be expensive after finishing second in the NL MVP race to Shohei Ohtani last season. If Pittsburgh wants him, it will take the largest free agent contract in franchise history.
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