The Pirates are eying an in-state rival as a potential offseason addition.
Pittsburgh is in on free agent slugger Kyle Schwarber, according to a Tuesday report by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The team also had shown interest in Josh Naylor before he re-signed with the Mariners.
Kyle Schwarber looks into the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of the Phillies’ Game 3 win over the Dodgers in the NLDS last season. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Schwarber is expected to have a number of suitors this offseason, and he has expressed interest in returning to Philadelphia, but after a season in which he hit 56 home runs and 132 RBIs and finished second in the National League MVP voting, he isn’t likely to rush into any decision.
“The demand for Schwarber is high, which is no surprise considering he won’t get more than a five-year deal because of his age and positional inflexibility as a full-time designated hitter,” Passan wrote. “Of course, when you hit like Schwarber, neither age nor position matters. Teams have made that abundantly clear, all the way from the obvious suitors (the Philadelphia Phillies are fiending to re-sign him) and the not-so-obvious (yes, Pittsburgh is in on Schwarber as well).”
The Pirates have newfound financial flexibility after they dealt Ke’Bryan Hayes (Reds) and David Bednar (Yankees) at the trade deadline to clear salary space.
General manager Ben Cherington previously said the Pirates will “pursue some things in free agency and trades.”
“We need to add to the offense and we’ll be disappointed if we don’t,” he said at the general managers meeting in Las Vegas.
Kyle Schwarber rounds the bases after hitting a home run during a Phillies game against the Marlins last season. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It would appear that Cherington is keeping to that, with the Pirates in on the big-name free agents.
Before the Mariners bringing back Naylor, Passan reported the Pirates were preparing to offer Naylor over $78 million.
There is certainly an added incentive for the Pirates to start winning with one of the hottest names in baseball on their roster, in Paul Skenes.
Skenes captured the NL Cy Young Award this year amid rumors, which the pitcher shot down, that he was losing faith in the Pirates organization and was hoping to be traded out of Pittsburgh.
