A failed offseason plan forces Pittsburgh to scout surprising options. Will Kiner-Falefa, Anderson, or a prospect secure the crucial shortstop spot?
Part of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ offseason plan was supposed to be simple enough – sign or trade for a third baseman and move Jared Triolo to shortstop.
However, the Pirates were unable to sign Eugenio Suarez as a free agent. On Sunday, the third baseman who hit 49 home runs with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners last season agreed to a one-year, $15-million contract with the Cincinnati Reds.
The free agent third base market has been pretty much picked clean with spring training opening next week.
The next logical step would be for Pittsburgh to sign a free-agent shortstop. It could even be just a stopgap player who could play the position until 19-year-old Konnor Griffin, the top prospect in baseball, is ready for the major leagues.
Yet there aren’t many shortstops on the market who can be everyday players. Two who might be able to do so are Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Tim Anderson.
Kiner-Falefa, 30, was the Pirates’ primary shortstop last season, hitting .264/.300/.332 in 119 games with two home runs and 15 stolen bases until being released on Aug. 31 and signing with the Toronto Blue Jays. Kiner-Falefa went to the World Series with the Blue Jays but is receiving tepid interest in free agency.
Anderson, 32, is a two-time All-Star and an American League batting champion, but he has hit just .232/.269/.270 with one homer in 219 games over the last three seasons. That has come after Anderson hit .300 in each of the previous four seasons. He was released during the season in 2024 by the Florida Marlins and last year by the Los Angeles Angels, and his career could be beyond salvation by now.
Players such as Luis Urias, Jose Iglesias, and Santiago Espinal might be worth inviting to spring training on minor-league contracts. Yet it is hard to project them to be productive regulars.
It seems the best internal shortstop option beyond Griffin is Nick Gonzales, who has primarily played second base during his three big league seasons. However, Gonzales’ fielding would be suspect after he had minus-11 defensive runs saved in 85 games as a second baseman last season.
The only other player in the organization capable of playing shortstop regularly is Griffin. Pittsburgh has been downplaying Griffin’s readiness for the major leagues, and he finished last season at Double-A Altoona. Maybe the Pirates’ inaction when it comes to adding a third baseman or shortstop suggests they believe Griffin could be on the opening-day roster.
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