Here’s a hard truth: the Pittsburgh Pirates just struck out in the biggest way possible, and it’s a swing they’ll regret. But here’s where it gets controversial—their failure to land Eugenio Suarez isn’t just a missed opportunity; it’s a glaring symptom of a deeper issue plaguing the franchise. Let’s break it down.
Last season, the Pirates ranked second in the National League for strikeouts, whiffing a staggering 1,422 times. Add one more to that total, because ownership and management—Bob Nutting and Ben Cherington—let a fastball right down the middle slip through their fingers. That fastball? Eugenio Suarez, a power hitter who could’ve been a game-changer for a team desperately lacking punch.
Yes, Suarez primarily plays third base, and yes, he’s not exactly a defensive standout. And this is the part most people miss—his defensive limitations pale in comparison to what he brings to the plate. Even if he’d spent most of his time as a designated hitter, who cares? The Pirates need power, plain and simple. Despite adding Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, their lineup still screams for a slugger like Suarez, who smashed 49 home runs last season—42% of the Pirates’ total of 117, and one more than O’Hearn and Lowe combined.
Sure, Suarez is a right-handed hitter, and PNC Park isn’t exactly a homer-friendly ballpark for him. But even if he’d hit 28 or 33 home runs, that’s still a massive upgrade. And let’s be real—half his games wouldn’t have been at PNC Park anyway. As for his defense? It’s not great, but the Pirates aren’t exactly spoiled for choice at third base. They need power more than they need Ke’Bryan Hayes 2.0.
Now, Suarez is 34 and had a rough second half last season. But here’s the kicker—he still hit almost half as many home runs as the entire Pirates roster. Let that sink in. And to add insult to injury, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds, a team that made the playoffs last season under Terry Francona, a Pittsburgh native who could’ve been managing the Pirates instead of Derek Shelton.
The reported offers were identical: one year, $15 million. How often does a 49-home-run hitter come at that price? Here’s the controversial part—the Pirates should’ve known they needed to outbid the competition, especially as a franchise that’s become a league-wide punchline. Throwing in an extra $2-4 million or an additional year (like the Reds’ mutual option for 2027) wouldn’t have broken the bank, especially for a team operating on Nutting’s notoriously tight payroll—what some might call a ‘nut roll’ budget.
As ESPN’s Jeff Passan put it, ‘The best bat left on the market goes to Cincinnati.’ Maybe Suarez simply wanted to return to a familiar city, and that’s fair. But the Pirates should’ve tried harder. They should’ve swung for the fences.
Instead, they whiffed. Again. And now, the question remains: How many more strikeouts can this franchise afford before fans start tuning out for good? What do you think? Was Suarez worth the extra investment, or did the Pirates dodge a bullet? Let’s hear it in the comments.
