Pirates lose top offseason target to hefty Mets contract in frustrating development

After the Pirates missed out on finalizing a big contract offer to Kyle Schwarber, the organization turned their attention to Jorge Polanco. It really seemed like Pittsburgh had a legitimate chance at landing Polanco. Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reported that Seattle was unwilling to offer him more than two years and the Pirates were, making them a real contender for his services. Divish also said that Polanco was expected to get slightly more than $12M AAV. Well ... about that ...

All the hope Pittsburgh had of landing him has vanished, as the New York Mets are reportedly signing Polanco to a two-year contract worth $40M. That is $20M a year, a massive overpay given his expected salary. The Mets also plan to use him out of position at first base.

Polanco would have been a staple in the Pirates lineup, especially if they could have landed him to a deal for around three years and $45M. A switch-hitting bat with an .821 OPS and 26 home runs is certainly worth a $15 million annual commitment for a lineup bereft of thump.

Missing out on him really hurts, considering Jhonstynxon Garcia has been the only offensive addition so far this offseason. He could have really turned this team's offensive output around. Seeing the Mets overpay is a signal of what the Pirates will have to do to land a big time player.

Pirates frustratingly miss out on Jorge Polanco after the Mets overpay him on short-term contract.

Hearing that the Pirates were willing to go over two years makes this signing hurt even worse. Paying $20M a year for him is a little much, but at the same time, the Pirates need bats. It’s one thing to go all in a player that would lead your team in home runs, OPS, and wRC+ at an overpay instead of signing five washed up bench players for that price.

Now, the Pirates must pivot fast, or 2026 will be a repeat of 2025. Other names on the market that they could attempt to sign include Ryan O’Hearn and Kazuma Okamoto. If they want to secure the trust of the fanbase, signing both would be the best way to do it. The organization is running out of precious time to secure these deals, and other teams aren’t waiting for them. Cherington needs to step it up.