Pirates insider seems upset Eugenio Suarez comment got taken wildly out of context

It appears that we have reached that point in the offseason where a fairly measured note about the Pittsburgh Pirates “keeping tabs” on a power-hitting third baseman spirals into a full-blown offseason meltdown.

Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette made what seemed like a pretty reasonable observation: with Kazuma Okamoto heading to the Toronto Blue Jays, attention could shift to Eugenio Suárez — a slugger who happens to fill the Pirates’ biggest need and happens to be available.

Cue the internet turning that into: "THE PIRATES ARE LOCKED IN ON SUÁREZ. IT’S HAPPENING. BOOK IT."

And now? Mackey sounds… mildly exhausted.

He went back to Twitter to clarify that he never said the Pirates were in “hot pursuit,” never said the Brinks truck was backing into PNC Park, never promised that Bob Nutting suddenly discovered oil money under the Clemente Bridge. He simply reported the truth: the Pirates are interested. Like roughly half the league. And also? It’s probably not likely.

Pirates keeping tabs on Eugenio Suárez in free agency has sent Pittsburgh fans into full-blown Twitter meltdown

The quote from Mackey's story spells it out pretty plainly. The Pirates have kept tabs on Suárez. He probably wants three years. To actually land him, the Pirates might have to go to four. That would be… not the Pirates’ style.

And the AAV? You’re looking at something nudging into $20 million per year. Which, for the Pirates, might as well be the GDP of a small country.

So, Mackey’s real point wasn’t “Suárez to Pittsburgh confirmed.” It was that yes, he fits. No, it’s not likely. And the Pirates may instead go cheaper at third base so they can spread resources around the rotation and bullpen. It's a realistic assessment. A grounded take. Something you’d hope fans would appreciate.

But Pirates fans live in a permanent state of offseason emotional whiplash. We’ve watched this franchise circle “impact bats” like UFO sightings — rumored, elusive, blurry at best. So the second Suárez’s name got linked, people ran full-speed toward hope.

And then the backlash hit Mackey like he personally promised a seven-year deal and a Suárez statue on the North Shore. Honestly? His tone feels like a guy who simply wanted to explain the situation and instead got thrown onto the offseason panic bonfire.

And he might be right anyway. If history is a guide, the Pirates will likely shop value, prefer flexibility, avoid term, and somehow talk themselves into a guy hitting .228 with "sneaky upside." That doesn’t mean they don’t care. It just means they operate under a payroll philosophy best described as “thrifty frontier homesteader.”

So, yes — Suárez would be awesome. Power. Personality. Vibes. Real pop behind Paul Skenes & Co. But would it shock anyone if he signs elsewhere while the Pirates take the patchwork-platoon route yet again? Of course not.

In the meantime, spare a thought for Mackey — the man just wanted to write a paragraph. And instead, he got to referee Pirates Twitter.