Pirates Predicted To Acquire All-Star Third Baseman To Fill Major Need

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been linked to multiple third basemen this offseason, and the team could look at the trade market.

Pittsburgh had been linked to Kazuma Okamoto before he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as current free agent Eugenio Suarez. Yet, MLB analyst Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report predicted the Pirates will trade for Josh Jung from the Texas Rangers to play third base.

“The Pirates have added Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, Jake Mangum and Jhostynxon Garcia to an offense that ranked last in the majors in runs scored (583) and team OPS (.655) last year, but there is still room for improvement,” Reuter wrote in a piece published on Wednesday. …

“Josh Jung is another potential fit at the hot corner with buy-low upside. The 27-year-old is controllable through 2028, not far removed from starting the 2023 All-Star Game and coming off a 2025 campaign where he logged a 100 OPS+ with 23 doubles, 14 home runs and 61 RBI in 131 games.”

Jung’s name has come up in trade talks as the Rangers could look to move on from him. He hit .251 with 14 home runs and 61 RBIs last season, as his best year was in 2023 when he hit .266 with 23 home runs and 70 RBIs, en route to leading Texas to a World Series.

If the Pirates do acquire Jung, it would add another solid bat to the lineup and make Pittsburgh potentially a playoff contender.

Pittsburgh is set to open its 2026 MLB season on March 26 against the New York Mets on the road.

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