Pirates running out of time to sign viable outfield option after Mets strike deal

While the Pittsburgh Pirates continue to show zero sense of urgency in filling the hole they have in right field, another corner outfielder has come off the market.

SNY's Andy Martino was the first to report Thursday that Jesse Winker, a trade deadline pickup by the New York Mets in 2024, is in agreement to re-sign with the Mets for the 2025 season. Joel Sherman of the New York Post further reported that Winker is guaranteed $7.5 million in the deal and can earn an additional $1.5 million via incentives.

With a .253/.360/.405 slash line between the Mets and the Washington Nationals, Winker had a strong bounce-back season in 2024 after injuries derailed his 2022-23 seasons. The left-handed hitting 31-year-old was considered one of the top outfield bats remaining on the free agent market and had been linked to the Pirates as recently as this week in a prediction from Will Laws and Nick Selbe of Sports Illustrated.

It's unknown whether the Pirates had engaged in talks with Winker, but the point is now moot anyway; Winker's a Met, and Pittsburgh is running out of time.

Pirates running out of time to sign outfield option after Mets re-sign Jesse Winker

Almost comically, Pittsburgh signed DJ Stewart shortly after Winker's deal was announced.

The Pirates should be sweating, not only because there is one less outfield bat left on the market to sign, but also because Winker's $7.5 million contract may have just driven up the price for the few who are still available. Their remaining options on the outfield market include Alex Verdugo and Randal Grichuk, both of whom were already expected to command higher annual salaries than Winker, and their asking prices likely just got even higher.

The Pirates could have signed an impact bat by now if they wanted to; it's not like their finances are tied up elsewhere. At present, Pittsburgh’s current payroll is approximately $77.4 million – in other words, roughly $10 million less than it was at the end of the 2024 regular season.

For a team whose window to compete could easily be open right now, the Pirates' lack of urgency to fill the holes in their roster this offseason is inexcusable. There's still some time, but barring something unexpected, this Pirates offseason is shaping up to be yet another major disappointment.

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