The Pittsburgh Pirates have been linked to an All-Star trade with the Texas Rangers.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have certainly been busy this offseason, but they still have work to do.
Most notably, the Pirates have to find a third baseman, especially after watching Kazuma Okamoto spurn them to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays.
While there may not be any incredibly appealing options available, Pittsburgh should still be able to find someone to man the hot corner, and Danny Demilio of Pittsburgh Baseball Now has identified a potential solution: Josh Jung of the Texas Rangers.
"The Rangers might not be eager to move Jung, but it could behoove the Pirates to at least make a call," Demilio wrote. "... The 27-year-old (28 next month) is projected to earn roughly $3 million in 2026. It will take more assets to Jung him in a trade compared to [Alec] Bohm, but he wouldn’t put as big a dent in the Pirates’ payroll."
Jung slashed .251/.294/.390 with 14 home runs and 61 RBI over 511 plate appearances in 2025, so it wasn't like he posted huge numbers. He also wasn't great defensively.
However, he is a former first-round pick and made the All-Star team back in 2023 after slashing .266/.315/.367 with 23 homers and 70 RBI, so he would definitely serve as an upgrade over what Pittsburgh already has at the position.
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung. Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images.The question is, what would be the cost? And would it be worth it?
Jung is under team control through 2028, so the Rangers do not have to be in any rush to move him. They might also prefer to keep him and hope that he potentially builds his trade value.
The 27-year-old played a pivotal role in Texas' World Series run in 2023, slashing .308/.329/.538 with three long balls across 70 playoff plate appearances.
Jung is also a former top prospect who managed an .894 OPS over five minor-league seasons, so the Rangers may feel inclined to retain him for now.
The problem for the Buccos is that they need to find a solution at third base. They've already acquired experienced bats like Ryan O'Hearn and Brandon Lowe to bolster their lineup, but they still have a gaping hole at the hot corner with no obvious internal remedies.
Perhaps the Pirates could place a call to Texas to see if there would be any possibility of a Jung match, but they would also have to be careful not to overpay.