Pirates failing to match Phillies' Adolis Garcia price closes offseason door further

There’s a certain kind of free-agent news that doesn’t just sting — it deflates. The report that the Philadelphia Phillies have finalized a one-year, $10 million deal with Adolis García for 2026 is exactly that kind of gut punch for Pittsburgh Pirates fans.

No, García isn't perfect. He doesn't fix everything in Pittsburgh. But this was the kind of move the Pirates could — and should — have matched without blinking.

This wasn’t Juan Soto money. It wasn’t a five-year risk. It wasn’t even a multi-year commitment that might scare ownership. This was one year for $10 million. It was a proven power bat — flawed, sure — but exactly the kind of offensive jolt a team that finished dead last in MLB in runs, home runs, and OPS desperately needs.

The Pirates didn’t lose a bidding war. They didn’t get outmuscled. They just… weren’t there. And that’s the problem.

With Adolis García signing in Philadelphia, Pirates are running out of options to upgrade their offense for 2026

Every time another bat comes off the board, the same question gets louder — and more uncomfortable –– in Pittsburgh: where is the offense coming from?

Are we banking on a full Oneil Cruz season (and a leap)? Bryan Reynolds bouncing back across the board? Nick Gonzales suddenly becoming a middle-of-the-order threat? Internal growth fixing a historically bad offense overnight? Hope is not a plan, and internal improvement is not a lineup –– especially not when the front office already admitted the lineup needs help.

No one is pretending García is flawless. He strikes out. He’s streaky. He comes with warts. But he also hits the ball hard, has real power, commands respect in a lineup and forces pitchers to change how they attack. For $10 million and zero long-term risk, that's not a luxury –– that's a baseline upgrade. Philadelphia understood that. Pittsburgh, apparently, did not.

The Pirates already watched Kyle Schwarber re-sign in Philadelphia. They already missed on several mid-tier bats. Now, they’re letting one-year solutions walk to division rivals. At some point, the fallback plan becomes the plan. And if the plan is “run it back and hope,” then this offseason wasn’t about building — it was about maintaining payroll flexibility at the expense of credibility.

The Phillies didn’t overthink it. They saw a need, and they filled it. Meanwhile, Pirates fans are left staring at a lineup that still scares no one and asking the same question over and over again: if not García… then who?

Because every unanswered “who” makes the silence feel louder and the offseason feel smaller. And right now, it feels like the door to meaningful offensive improvement is closing — not with a bang, but with a shrug.