The Pittsburgh Pirates need hitters after finishing last in MLB in runs scored, home runs, and OPS this year.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now's Danny Demilio suggests the Pirates trade for Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung to bolster their offense. Adding Jung would make sense because the Pirates could move presumptive third baseman Jared Triolo to shortstop.

Jung, 27, hit .251/.294/.390 with 14 home runs in 131 games this year and had minus-3 defensive runs saved. He did not have a great season, but Jung is an intriguing potential bounce-back candidate in 2026.

Jung was selected to the All-Star Game and helped the Rangers win the first World Series in franchise history in 2023, his rookie season. He batted .266/.315/.467 with 23 homers in 122 regular-season games, then .308/.329/.538 with three home runs in 17 postseason games.

At that point, Jung looked like he was headed toward stardom four years after the Rangers chose him eighth overall in the draft. However, he broke his right wrist in 2024 and was limited to 46 games that season.

Jung is eligible for salary arbitration for the first time this winter and projects to make between $2.5 million and $3 million next season, which would be palatable even for the cost-conscious Pirates. They would have three years of contractual control over Jung, who cannot become a free agent until 2028.

So, what would the Rangers want in return? They are looking to add starting pitching depth and bullpen help after missing the playoffs in each of the two seasons since their World Series title.

Industry sources indicate that the Rangers would like to acquire one of the Pirates' young pitchers, particularly right-hander Braxton Ashcraft. Of course, there is a lot to like about the 26-year-old, who was 4-4 with a 2.71 as a rookie this past season in 26 games, including eight starts. Ashcraft is under contractual control through 2031.

The Pirates might be willing to part with Ashcraft more than some of their other young pitchers because he is a little older. Ashcraft has also had knee, shoulder, and elbow surgeries since the Pirates selected him in the second round of the 2018 amateur draft.

The Pirates might also have to kick in a lower-level prospect like right-hander Carlson Reed, who made 19 starts in the minor leagues in 2025 and had a 2-4 record and 4.08 ERA combined between both Class A levels and Rookie ball. However, Reed has a 2.80 career minor-league ERA in 186 2/3 innings since being drafted in the fourth round in 2023 and has allowed two runs in 14 innings this year in the Arizona Fall League.