Veteran outfielders could bolster the Pirates' lineup. Explore affordable options like Harrison Bader or potential reunions with former Pirates.
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said earlier this month that he would like to potentially add a veteran outfielder to the roster.
Though the Pirates have been linked to Cody Bellinger, it seems highly unlikely that they can sign the 2019 National League MVP, though you could always dream. Harrison Bader is another free agent outfielder; he, too, might be expensive for the Pirates.
Bader, though, is worth trying to sign. The 31-year-old right-handed hitter batted .277/.346/.449 with 17 home runs and 11 stolen bases in 146 games last season with the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies.
Additionally, Bader had six defensive runs saved in 2025. That is a massive upgrade over Pittsburgh's Oneil Cruz, who had minus-14 DFS.
The Pirates have already added two left-handed hitters this winter by trading for second baseman Brandon Lowe and signing first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn as a free agent. If they want to add lefty to the outfield mix, then Jesse Winker and Mike Tauchman could interest Pittsburgh.
Winker, 32, was limited to 26 games last season with the New York Mets, hitting .220/.309/.400 with one homer because of oblique and back injuries. However, he hit 14 home runs and stole 14 bases in 2024.
Tauchman has developed into an above-average MLB hitter since playing in the Korean Baseball Organization in 2022. Tauchman, 35, hit .263/.356/.400 with nine homers in 93 games for the Chicago White Sox last season.
As far as right-handed hitters, a reunion with Miguel Andujar would make some sense after the 30-year-old had a .318/.352/.470 slash line with 10 home runs in 94 games with the Athletics and Cincinnati Reds a year ago. Andujar spent parts of the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Pirates but didn’t get many chances, playing in just 39 games.
Pittsburgh pursued Randal Grichuk last winter but failed to sign him. The 34-year-old went on to have a lackluster season, hitting .228/.273/.401 with nine home runs in 113 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals. However, Grichuk did slash .291/.348/.528 in 2024.
The Pirates love versatile players, which makes Dylan Moore a potential match as he can play all over the field. Last season, Moore, 33, had a .201/.267/.374 slash line in 106 games with the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers in 2025, but still hit 11 home runs and stole 14 bases. He had 32 stolen bases a year earlier.