3 roster moves that would immediately improve the Pirates’ offense

Pirates need to DFA Adam Frazier

At this rate, the Pirates are going to get the best and worst parts of Adam Frazier’s career. From 2016 through the trade deadline in 2021, Frazier enjoyed a very solid tenure with the Pirates. He slashed .283/.346/.420 with a .330 wOBA and 104 wRC+. He had a subpar 7.6% walk rate and a .136 isolated slugging percentage but only struck out in 13.1% of his trips to the dish. He was a decent leadoff man for the Pirates for multiple years, as he got hits and reached base at a respectable rate.

But Frazier’s offense quickly declined after the Pirates traded him. He hit just .236/.301/.336 with a .282 wOBA and 82 wRC+ with the Padres, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, and Kansas City Royals in the years that followed. Although Frazier still only struck out 14.3% of the time, his walk rate only sat at 7.2%, but he was no longer hitting for contact the same way he was with the Pirates. His offense took a large hit in 2024, with just a .579 OPS, .261 wOBA, and 63 wRC+ for the Royals.

So far this year, Frazier only has seven hits in 48 plate appearances. He’s only drawn a pair of walks and has struck out nine times. He’s yet to barrel up a ball, either. Frazier was never known for his power, but his exit velocity has fallen below 85 MPH in 2024 and 2025.

Look, Frazier is a fan favorite and was a fun player to watch in his prime. He was a good hitter at one point, but hasn’t been since the Pirates traded him in 2021. He’s well on his way to another poor campaign.

The Pirates likely won't make a move like this until they get some players off the IL. They currently have Nick Gonzales, Jared Triolo, and Spencer Horwitz awaiting healthier days. But once they get some of those players back, Frazier should be out the door. If the Pirates are so concerned about having a left-handed utility infielder they can put on the bench, then keep Tsung-Che Cheng around. He is 10 years younger than Frazier, is a good defender, and is much faster at this point than Frazier is.