The Pittsburgh Pirates definitely need to improve their offense this winter, as I don't think too many people would argue that it was the worst in baseball this past season.

Of course, the Pirates are not exactly known as a spendthrift organization, so whether or not they actually spend the money necessary to get better remains to be seen.

However, there should absolutely be some affordable options for Pittsburgh in free agency, and Jim Bowden of The Athletic has identified one in particular: Luis Arraez.

"Arraez has a slow bat but he squares the ball up at an elite level and doesn’t swing-and-miss; at times, it’s like he has a tennis racket, the way he places the ball all over the field," Bowden wrote.

Bowden tabbed the Buccos as one of the top potential destinations for Arraez in free agency and is projecting the three-time batting champion to land a two-year, $30 million contract.

The Pirates could definitely swing that, and given how they ranked 28th in baseball with a .231 team batting average in 2025, Arraez would be a good fit.

The 28-year-old slashed .292/.327/.392 with eight home runs and 61 RBI over 675 plate appearances with the San Diego Padres this past year, leading the National League with 181 hits.

Arraez won three straight batting titles between 2022 and 2024, and he did it with three different teams: the Minnesota Twins, Miami Marlins and then the Padres.

His best year definitely came in Miami in 2023, when he hit .354 to lead all of baseball in batting average while also posting a career-high .861 OPS. Arraez is a lifetime .317 hitter, which leads all active players in the majors.

The problem is that Arraez isn't the greatest defensive first baseman in the world, but perhaps the Pirates can stick him at second base (where Arraez was better in Minnesota and Miami) and move Nick Gonzales (who has been a major disappointment) in a trade.

Pittsburgh needs to add multiple bats this winter, but Arraez would be a great start. He is an excellent table-setter and would provide the Pirates with a terrific situational hitter.

Whether or not the veteran would actually express any interest in joining the Bucs is another story, though.