Pittsburgh Pirates: Players Who Must Be on Their Radar at the MLB Winter Meetings

The Pirates must keep these players on their radar as we head into the Winter Meetings.

Dec 7, 2022; San Diego, CA, USA; A detailed view of a 2022 MLB Winter Meetings logo at Manchester
Dec 7, 2022; San Diego, CA, USA; A detailed view of a 2022 MLB Winter Meetings logo at Manchester | Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
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Justin Turner

First base or second base must be resolved this winter. Jared Triolo can handle both positions, and Nick Gonzales or Liover Peguero could also fill in second base. But either position should be on the Pirate to-do list. A veteran first baseman I’d love to see the Pirates go after is Justin Turner. Turner signed for $8.3 million last season along with a buyout for $6.7 million, which he took.

Turner batted .276/.345/.455 with a .346 wOBA, and 114 wRC+ through 626 plate appearances. He went yard 23 times and posted an above-average .179 isolated slugging percentage. Turner has never once struck out more than 20% of the time in any season, and ‘23 was no different with a 17.6% strikeout rate. Even though his 8.1% walk rate was below average, it is still a respectable rate. I think Turner will end up with a similar deal: a low AAV with a high buyout.

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