The Pittsburgh Pirates have been connected to a $60 million move after missing out on Kazuma Okamoto.
The Pittsburgh Pirates were unable to land Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto, as the corner infielder decided to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays.
It certainly isn't the first time that the Pirates missed out on a big name this winter, and now, they must pivot to another option at third base.
The market isn't actually teeming with top-of-the-line third basemen, but there is one name that has been connected to Pittsburgh ever since the 2025 campaign ended: Eugenio Suarez.
Jason Mackey of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has floated Suarez as a potential option for the Pirates now that Okamoto is off the board, noting that it would probably take a three-year deal worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 million annually.
Mackey qualified his statement by saying he's not holding his breath on Suarez, but that it could be a possibility.
Pittsburgh has added sluggers Ryan O'Hearn and Brandon Lowe as well as outfielders Jake Mangum and Jhostynxon Garcia this winter, so the Bucs have definitely upgraded. But there is no question they need some more pieces if they genuinely want to compete in 2026.
Eugenio Suarez. Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images.Is Suarez the answer? The 34-year-old smashed 49 home runs to go along with 118 RBI in 2025, splitting the season between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners.
However, it should be noted that after the Mariners acquired him at the trade deadline, he slashed .189/.255/.428 over 220 plate appearances the rest of the way.
Suarez is a lifetime .246/.328/.464 hitter, and 2025 marked his first time registering an OPS of .800 or better since 2019. So, yeah: the Pirates will have to tread carefully here.
Not only that, but Suarez is a rather poor defender at the hot corner, so if Pittsburgh signs him to a lucrative multi-year deal and he doesn't produce at the plate, he could ultimately be a net negative in Steel City.
At this point, though, the Pirates just need bats, so they may be willing to take the risk on Suarez so long as he is actually willing to play in Pittsburgh.
The Pirates ranked at or near the bottom of every offensive statistical category last season and have made just three playoff appearances since 1993, all of which came between 2013 and 2015.
We'll see if Pittsburgh is able to make any other notable additions in the coming weeks.