Pirates linked to 2 free agent bats, but only one of them is a perfect fit

The Pittsburgh Pirates pulled off a masterful deal on Friday, exchanging superfluous assets for an impact power bat in Brandon Lowe. While that trade is getting rave reviews, Ben Cherington should be far from done.

The addition of Lowe brings so much-needed pop to the lineup. Jake Magnum, coming along with him, gives Pittsburgh a jolt of contact and speed. Yet this is still a thin lineup overall, and the club should still have a decent chunk of change left to spend. Pittsburgh could still dip its toes in the trade market once more, with Mitch Keller being the likely asset they dangle, but at this point, turning their attention back to free agency makes the most sense.

The Pirates aren't going to be players for Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, or Bo Bichette, but former MLB general manager Jim Bowden thinks they could be players in the next tier, targeting the likes of Eugenio Suarez and Ryan O'Hearn.

Ryan O'Hearn, and not Eugenio Suarez, is the fit the Pirates should be chasing in free agency

Truth be told, either could be considered an upgrade for the Pirates, but there are a few reasons why, if they can only have one, that O'Hearn is head and shoulders above Suarez.

First is the fit in the lineup. The Pirates entered the offseason needing everything when it came to the offensive side of the ball. We all know that they scored the fewest runs in baseball in 2025, but no one area was considerably stronger than the others when it came to offensive production.

The club ranked dead last in slugging, posting a .350 mark. The club's .231 batting average wasn't the league's worst, but it did rank 28th. The .305 collective on-base percentage was also significantly below average, ranking 23rd.

Lowe helps in the power department, and strides from younger players like Jhostynxon Garcia, more consistency from Oneil Cruz, and a return to form from Bryan Reynolds could help this become a more powerful lineup.

Therefore, when one looks at Suarez in free agency, they see a power fix, but not much else. The 34-year-old belted 49 homers, but he also hit just .228 with a sub-.300 OBP while striking out 29.8% of the time.

O'Hearn, meanwhile, brings balance across the board. The 32-year-old hit .281 last season while posting a 10.7% walk rate, making him capable of getting on base in multiple ways. His 17 homers weren't eye-popping, but his .437 SLG shows he can hit the ball out of the yard and also fill the gaps with doubles.

That kind of balanced attack fits nicely alongside Lowe, who, like Suarez, primarily provides power with the trade-off of a higher-than-average K-rate.

Positionally, O'Hearn fits better, too. While he is a lefty-hitting first baseman, like Spencer Horwitz, he can also play both outfield corners and DH. That would give the Pirates the ability to use him as something of a Swiss army knife, bouncing around to give guys a breather and stepping in to fill in for injured players as needed, while also getting a healthy dose of DH time.

Suarez can't offer that as a long-time third baseman whose declining defense might push him across the diamond to the cold corner sooner rather than later.

If the Pirates can only afford one more big bat, then the choice is clear. Ryan O'Hearn's offensive profile would better diversify the lineup, and his positional versatility would make Pittsburgh a more well-rounded club overall.