The Pittsburgh Pirates have made some smart moves this offseason, but when it comes to free agency, they’re still swinging and missing. Despite putting together competitive offers, the Bucs came up short in their pursuit of key targets like Kyle Schwarber and Eugenio Suarez.
And while the front office seems to be doing its homework in terms of player valuation, that alone isn’t cutting it. As MLB insider Ken Rosenthal pointed out recently, simply offering a fair deal doesn’t get you across the finish line-especially if you’re the Pirates.
“It seems to me that they’re valuing players properly,” Rosenthal said on Foul Territory. “The problem is, when you’re the Pittsburgh Pirates, valuing players is not necessarily going to get a deal done. If you’re the Pirates…you’re gonna have to overpay in certain cases…They need to overpay.”
That’s the reality of being a small-market team trying to compete in a league where money talks-loudly. When a player like Suarez has similar offers on the table, it’s not just about the numbers.
It’s about the full package: the team’s trajectory, the market, the lifestyle, and yes, the chance to win. And right now, Pittsburgh isn’t checking enough of those boxes.
The Pirates haven’t made the postseason since 2015. That’s a long drought in baseball years. Combine that with a cold-weather market and a franchise still trying to shake its reputation for being more rebuild-focused than playoff-bound, and you’ve got a tough sell for top-tier free agents.
So even when Pittsburgh matches the money, like they reportedly did with Suarez, it’s often not enough. In cases like this, the Pirates may need to sweeten the pot-go a few million above market value, take the risk, and make it clear they’re serious about turning the corner.
That’s not to say the Pirates haven’t made progress. They’ve laid some solid groundwork this winter.
But if they want to take the next step-from rebuilding to contending-they’ll need to get more aggressive in free agency. That means being willing to pay a premium to bring talent to Pittsburgh.
Because in today’s MLB landscape, fair offers only go so far. Sometimes, you’ve got to overpay to get in the game.