Pirates still need an outfielder after surprising Red Sox trade (and 1 stands out)

The Pittsburgh Pirates have finally made their first major move of the offseason by sending Johan Oviedo and two prospects to the Boston Red Sox for Jhostynxon Garcia and another arm. Initially, it looks like a fleece; Pittsburgh snagged a top 100 prospect with great power upside in exhange for an arbitration-2 pitcher fresh off Tommy John. This deal is very exciting, but it cannot be the only move the Pirates make in the outfield.

Garcia has a lot of promise, having above average grades for his power, speed, and defense. He even posted solid numbers in Triple-A, generating an .833 OPS with 18 home runs and a 116 wRC+. While the numbers on the surface look solid, some of his advanced metrics are slightly concerning.

His hard-hit rate was just 34.6%, his whiff rate reached 34.2%, and his average exit velocity was just 86.4 mph. He has all the talent in the world, but he has struggled with plate discipline and with making consistent solid contact, raising some concerns about when he jumps to the major leagues in Pittsburgh. PNC Park has been known to be a pitcher-friendly park, so with Garcia's current state at 22 years old, the Pirates should still search to add an outfielder.

Pirates must not end search for lineup shifting outfielder following the acquisition of Jhostynxon Garcia.

Garcia could be a platooned outfielder with a left-handed bat, also giving Bryan Reynolds a chance to DH more if Andrew McCutchen doesn't return. That will help get Garcia's feet wet in the major leagues instead of just throwing him out there and getting similar results to what Jack Suwinski has recently provided.

Mike Yastrzemski is a logical player who should be signed to a one-year deal. The veteran outfielder is coming off his best overall season since his rookie year, posting a 2.4 fWAR with a 106 wRC+ and belting 17 home runs. He shouldn't be that expensive either, possibly signing for around $6M-$8M. For a team that had just two players finish the season with a wRC+ over the league average of 100, Yastrzemski is definitely worth adding.

Yastrzemski definitely fits on the depth chart, too. Garcia is truly a great addition, but they cannot gamble on giving him an everyday job immediately. Adding the left-handed bat is really important, too. JJ Bleday or Jesse Winker could be cheaper options, but banking on them being above-average is just as much of a gamble as entrusting Garcia. Max Kepler would be around the same price as Yastrzemski with worse production.

Despite granting Suwinski a contract this offseason, he must not be the left-handed bat in this platoon. The Pirates should definitely still be targeting Yastrzemski on the free agent market this offseason to complement Garcia. Ben Cherington completed phase one of the outfield shuffle. Now, he's got to slam dunk phase two.