The Seattle Mariners made a few trades at the trade deadline last year to bring in slugger Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez.
With both players’ contracts expiring at the end of the season, the Mariners were left with big decisions to make. They quickly re-signed Naylor to a new deal, but it doesn’t seem like Suárez will have the same fate.
Nick Selbe and Will Laws of Sports Illustrated predicted Suárez would bolt from Seattle and sign a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates this winter.
“Suárez ranked fifth in the majors with 49 home runs in 2025, but there are quite a few warning signs about the slugger’s longevity,” Laws and Selbe wrote. “He’s long been one of the most whiff-prone hitters in the league, his production cratered after a midseason return to the Mariners and his defense is already poor enough that his glove is best kept in his locker.
“All that said, he could make a massive difference in the middle of the lineup on a short-term deal for an offense-starved team like the suddenly active Pirates if everything goes right.”
The Pirates have been abnormally aggressive this offseason. They’ve made a trade to bring in Brandon Lowe while also spending some money in free agency to land Ryan O’Hearn.
Considering Suárez is projected to sign for well under $100 million, the Pirates could make a real run at the slugger.
Suárez would fit perfectly in the middle of their lineup while plugging a massive hole at third base. The idea makes perfect sense, but it’s still up in the air if the Pirates will take this big of a swing in free agency.
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