Alex Verdugo to the Pirates feels more likely after Mets, Blue Jays outfield pickups

The Mets just signed Jesse Winker to a one-year deal worth $7.5 million (with incentives), which eliminates a name from the outfield market for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Winker made sense for the Pirates, as they have still not signed someone to fill in the hole in right field.

Another outfielder who recently came off the board is Myles Straw, who just got traded to the Blue Jays. Although he did not exactly make sense for Pittsburgh, that shuffle more than likely crosses another team out of the mix for Alex Verdugo, a player all three of these teams have been rumored to have interest in. Now that those two of the three teams that had interest in the former Yankees outfielder have otherwise addressed the outfield, it leaves the Pirates as the only other team without an outfield move to have interest in Verdugo.

The Angels and Astros have also checked in on him, but they have not been reported to have recent interest like the Pirates have. Pittsburgh also has interest in Randall Grichuk, but that seems less likely after Robert Murray reported that the Giants had interest in bidding up his market. Winning a bidding war with San Fransisco is not something one would expect the Pirates to do. That leaves Verdugo and the Pirates as a connection that seems even more likely.

A deal between the Pirates and Alex Verdugo seems even more likely now that Jesse Winker and Myles Straw are off the board.

Verdugo is a guy that is looked at as a big time bounce back candidate after a poor showing in 2024. That will likely result in him only signing a one-year contract, which is exactly what Ben Cherington is after. He has not signed a free agent to a multi-year contract in his time with the Pirates.

Last season, Verdugo posted a wRC+ of 83 with 13 home runs and an OPS of .647. His career OPS of .742 and wRC+ of 101 show that he is very capable of being a solid contributor offensively, but obviously he has not done that recently.

Time will tell where Verdugo signs, but as it sits now, the Pirates and the former Yankees outfielder seems like a connection that is likelier than ever to happen.