MLB insider connects Pirates to genuinely shocking slugging free agent

With a major offseason looming for Pittsburgh, many fans are expecting a roster overhaul that consists of ... the typical minimum of a handful of one-year deals. John Perrotto reported earlier in August that the Pirates won't increase payroll in 2026. He even indicated that the Pirates may drop payroll after all the salary they dealt at the deadline.

And yet, with all that considered, one MLB insider just connected the Pirates to a downright shocking name a month and a half before the Winter Meetings.

In a column published Thursday, Mark Feinsand labeled Eugenio Suarez as a potential fit for the Pirates, along with the Angels and Mariners. The same Suarez that belted 49 home runs in 2025? Sure, almost every free agent with an average bat is a reasonable fit for the Pirates, yet seeing Suarez, an absolute lineup-changer, being linked to Pittsburgh is stunning.

Suarez is now 34 years old, and after being the prized target at the MLB Trade Deadline, he fell off. While he did belt 13 home runs in 53 games with Seattle, his OPS went from .897 with Arizona to .682 in the American League. He also struck out at a 35.9% rate with the Mariners.

With the power he brings, it's really tough to see him taking a large enough pay cut from his $15 million AAV contract to even consider signing with the Pirates. Suarez is a long shot for Pittsburgh, but if they somehow got him here, the outlook for this team would look very different. Adding the power bat this lineup needs would be huge, but it'll take a multi-year offer between $15 and $20 million per season to secure him.

Suarez also isn't the only free agent Feinsand marked as a fit to the Pirates.

MLB Insider Mark Feinsand labels Eugenio Suarez and Merrill Kelly as surprising fits to the Pirates.

Merrill Kelly is a bit more realistic for the Pirates, given their tendency of signing a veteran starting pitcher every single offseason. Kelly is another guy that would make sense on a one-year deal. He's 37 years old and doesn't throw very hard anymore, and might see a possible rotation opening in conjunction with the Mitch Keller trade buzz.

While pitching is not the Pirates' concern by any means, it would not be surprising to see this front office add a veteran starter. They have so many young pitchers that don't have a deep history of high inning counts, so an innings eater would make a little sense, too.

Hopefully, Feinsand has heard a little buzz behind Suarez to make this come true. As unlikely as it is, this is the kind of move that would give the Pirates a chance to win with their dominant pitching staff. After six years, it is time for this front office to revive this ball club from the basement.