The Pirates have a simple problem and a possible solution just popped onto the market.
Pittsburgh needs more power, needs a right-handed bat and could use help at third base, which is why the Reds placing Eugenio Suárez on outright waivers has at least given the Pirates something to think about. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the move as a cost-cutting decision, and any MLB team can claim Suárez during a 48-hour window before he would remain with Cincinnati unless the Reds designate him for assignment.
The Pirates probably won’t make the move, but they should at least consider it with a month left in the season.
Suárez was already on Pittsburgh’s radar this offseason as a right-handed power bat who could supply home runs and handle third base. He eventually returned to Cincinnati on a one-year, $15 million deal after spending seven seasons with the Reds from 2015-21, while the Pirates went in another direction and signed designated hitter Marcell Ozuna to a one-year, $12 million contract.
That gamble didn’t pay off. Ozuna struggled, failed to meet expectations and was DFA’d after the trade deadline.
Suárez’s overall line hasn’t been what Cincinnati hoped for either. He is hitting .208/.295/.410 with a career-low OPS of .705, and the Reds sit at the bottom of the NL Central at 63-71.
But the bat has picked up since the break. After the All-Star Game, Suárez has hit .207/.315/.455 with an OPS of .770, plus six doubles, eight home runs and 22 RBI.
His OPS jumped by nearly 100 points from the .673 mark he carried into the break.
August has been especially strong. Suárez owns a .500 slugging percentage for the month with five home runs and 18 RBI, highlighted by his ninth-inning grand slam in the Reds’ 10-9 win over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Aug.
- That blast came during a seven-run inning.
For a Pirates club that has improved its power this season but has gone quiet lately, the timing is obvious. Pittsburgh’s 23 home runs over the past 30 days are tied for fourth-fewest in baseball, and the team has managed just three homers in the past week.
The right-handed options are thin, too. Rookie right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez is the only right-handed power hitter on the roster, and he has one home run in the past month.
Shortstop Konnor Griffin is also injured.
Suárez has also done damage at PNC Park throughout his career, batting .279/.363/.517 with an .880 OPS and 14 home runs there, which is the second-most he has hit in any ballpark that wasn’t his home field.
He has spent most of his time as a designated hitter, though he can still play third base if needed. Any team that claims him would have to absorb the rest of his salary, which Rosenthal reported is a little less than $3 million.
That’s not a massive number, but it’s still real money for a player available for only the final stretch of the season. Most clubs probably won’t jump in unless they’re desperate.
Pittsburgh is 64-70 and 7.5 games back in the National League Wild Card race, so the playoff path is narrow. Claiming Suárez would look like a desperate swing, but the Pirates have a clear need and a clear opportunity sitting in front of them.
In Other News...
Spencer Horwitz Has Become A Real Problem For The Pirates Lineup
Spencer Horwitzs return on Aug. 2 was supposed to give the Pirates a needed boost after he missed 33 games with a left hamstring injury and a concussion. Instead, his reentry has been part of the clubs broader second-half offensive slide, with the lineup looking increasingly short on consistent production as the playoff race tightens.
Horwitz has been candid about his own struggles, and the numbers back up the frustration. He has hit just .159 since coming back, with limited extra-base power and little run production, leaving Pittsburgh still searching for the kind of collective offensive rebound that can keep its postseason hopes alive. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Prospect Is Forcing A Tough September Decision
Mitch Jebb has spent this season making a case that the Pirates can no longer treat him as a long-term project only. After recovering from a thumb injury, the outfield prospect has shown more power at Triple-A Indianapolis, giving Pittsburgh a different look at a player whose value has always gone beyond one tool. With roster decisions looming as September approaches, Jebb has put himself on the radar in a way that can complicate the usual end-of-season shuffle.
For the Pirates, the timing matters. Expanded rosters create room for a look, and Jebb is also edging toward Rule 5 Draft eligibility, which raises the stakes of every call the organization makes over the next few weeks. If Pittsburgh finds itself further from the playoff race, the club could lean into evaluation mode and start thinking about whether Jebb belongs on the 40-man roster or in line for a chance to help in 2027 as a versatile option. [Read more 🡒]
Oneil Cruz Is Making The Pirates Ask What Might Have Been
Oneil Cruz gave the Pirates a reminder of his ceiling in the kind of moment that can change the mood around a clubhouse. Back from injury, he went deep against Mason Miller and helped Pittsburgh squeeze out a 1-0 win, another flash of the power-speed blend that has made him one of the clubs most intriguing players whenever hes been on the field.
The frustration, of course, is how much time was lost. Cruz missed a significant stretch after fractures in his left hand, yet he has still managed a .257 average with an .833 OPS, 17 home runs, 22 stolen bases and 52 RBIs in 72 games this season. For the Pirates, the lingering question is the obvious one: how different might this season have looked if Cruz had been able to stay healthy from the start? [Read more 🡒]