Pirates Linked To All-Star Third Baseman In MLB Free Agency

The Pittsburgh Pirates have already been linked to multiple star free agent first basemen such as Pete Alonso and Ryan O’Hearn.

This is in addition to the rumors surrounding slugging first baseman Josh Naylor, who eventually re-signed with the Seattle Mariners.

MLB senior writer Andy McCullough of The Athletic mentioned another big-time slugger and 2025 All-Star as an option for Pirates owner Bob Nutting on Tuesday.

McCullough’s suggestion is located across the diamond from where Alonso, Naylor and O’Hearn typically line up: third baseman Eugenio Suarez.

“But if owner Bob Nutting is serious about authorizing some expenditures to not waste the early prime of Paul Skenes, there are plenty of players available to aid an offense that ranked last in home runs and slugging percentage in 2025,” the insider said. “No Pirate hit more than 20 homers last season. Suárez matched a career-best mark with 49 dingers last season and has averaged 32 per year since 2021.”

Suarez has been one of the biggest feast or famine sluggers in MLB over the last decade.

The 34-year-old Venezuelan is only a career .246 hitter, finished the 2021 campaign below the Mendoza line and has led the league in strikeouts three times. Suarez racked up 214 strikeouts in 2023, which is eighth-most all-time.

Suarez has always been a consistent source of power, however, recording 325 career regular season home runs in 1,630 games while finishing six different seasons with at least 30 long balls.

He made his second All-Star team in 2025 and finished the year by matching his career high in home runs (49) and setting a new high mark in RBIs (118).

More MLB: New Report Pours Cold Water On Pirates-Josh Naylor Rumors