Pirates fans are all in on former Twins outfielder after Michael Conforto, Tyler O'Neill signings

The Pittsburgh Pirates have addressed their first base problem by trading for Spencer Horwitz, but they still have some work to do to improve their roster for 2025. Namely, they need a corner outfielder, and preferably one who can put the ball over the fence.

They already lost out on a pair of free agent outfielders in Tyler O'Neill, who signed a three-year, $49.5 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, and Michael Conforto, who signed a one-year, $17 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both had previously been linked to Pittsburgh by MLB Trade Rumors, among others, leaving plenty of Pirates fans feeling uneasy about their remaining options on the free agent market.

It's always possible that the Pirates pull off another trade to get an outfield bat this offseason, but plenty of fans would like to see them pursue a still-unsigned free agent in former Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler.

Pirates fans are all in on former Twins outfielder Max Kepler after Michael Conforto, Tyler O'Neill signings

Kepler is coming off a poor walk year in Minnesota that saw him miss time due to injury issues in both of his knees. After a 2023 season in which he smacked 24 home runs, he managed just eight through 105 games in 2024.

Kepler sports a .237/.318/.429 career batting line, though his averages improve against right-handed hitters. He is also an above-average defender who would be more than capable of holding down one of the corner outfield positions in Pittsburgh if he can stay healthy. He has also played center field for Minnesota in the past, so he could be considered an emergency option there as well, in the event of an injury to center fielder Oneil Cruz.

MLBTR projected that due to his age (32) and his injury struggles, Kepler would be limited to a one-year deal in the $6-10 million range for 2025. This would make him a realistic option for the Pirates, who haven't signed a single free agent to a multi-year contract since Ben Cherington took over as general manager five years ago.

Kepler may not be the biggest, shiniest name on the free agent market, but Pirates fans likely knew they weren't going to get one of those anyway. He's a solid role player with power potential, and Pittsburgh could certainly do a lot worse.

More Pirates content from Rum Bunter