There’s been a lot of chatter about the Pittsburgh Pirates wanting to spend more this offseason, and it sounds like they’re already trying to put their money where their mouth is.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Pirates made a strong push to sign All-Star first baseman Josh Naylor, who re-signed with the Seattle Mariners for five years and $92.5 million instead. Passan reported that Pittsburgh was ready to spend close to that to acquire Naylor, who would have given its lineup a considerable boost.
Despite missing out on Naylor, Passan added that the Pirates are “considering other possibilities to supplement Paul Skenes and a rotation that was among the five best in MLB in the second half,” including promoting top prospect Konnor Griffin to the Opening Day roster.
Pittsburgh hasn’t signed a free agent to a multi-year contract since Ivan Nova in late 2016, and the largest free agent contract in team history is still Francisco Liriano’s three-year, $39 million from two years before that.
Story continues below advertisement
Accordingly, the pursuit of Naylor seems to signal a shift in strategy for the Pirates, who have consistently ranked near the bottom of the league in payroll over the last decade. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2015, so they may be open to spending again, especially given the recent rumors of Paul Skenes’ dissatisfaction with the organization.
While Naylor would have been a good addition for Pittsburgh, the team still has plenty of time to pivot and pursue other targets this winter. By going after an impact slugger, the Pirates appear to be on the right track.
More Pirates: MLB Insider Reveals Pirates’ Exciting Plan For Top Prospect
Story continues below advertisement
Featured image via Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images