Where Pirates Stand in Eugenio Suárez Race

This is quite impressive for someone who hit 49 home runs in 2025, fifth most in the major leagues, although, there are reasons why teams might have trepidation towards signing Suárez.

Suárez turns 35 years old in July and has declined rapidly at third base, a position teams view hitting more important, but still value defense. He posted his worst defensive season at third base in his career, with -6 defensive runs saved, -6 outs above average and -4 runs prevented.

Suárez also struggled at the plate towards the end of 2025, slashing .189/.255/.428 for an OPS of .682 with nine home runs in 53 games with the Seattle Mariners, after the Arizona Diamondbacks trade him ahead of the deadline.

He is likely also looking for a longer contract with a solid AAV, which is something that most teams won't want to do, especially at Suárez's age and also with an impending lockout possible on Dec. 1, that threatens the 2027 season.

Jim Bowden on the Foul Territory podcast said that there is nothing "imminent" on Suárez signing and found it surprising that there is so little interest in a power bat that he is.

Bowden did note that teams likely see his as a designated hitter, with some time at third base, which is also impacting his market.

"Look at the free agent market for him right now for him, he's not getting hits," Bowden said. "It's not like he's waiting for a better offer. He's got people kicking the tires, but they are not pursuing him for whatever reason."

Could Pirates Swoop In?

News surrounding Suárez and the Pirates is common place at this point, with reports of their interest in the free agent well-known.

Pirates beat writers in Alex Stumpf of MLB.com and Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette both said it's unlikely that they land Suárez after reporting that they have interest in him.

Money is a big reason for why the Pirates might not sign Suárez, with multiple projections ranging from $15-$25 million AAV.

Spotrac puts the market value of Suárez at two years, $29.9 million, or about $15 million per season. Kiley McDaniel of ESPN has him at two years, $45 million, $22.5 million per season, while Bowden with The Athletic has Suárez at three years, $72 million, or $24 million per year.

The Pirates have already added the likes of second baseman Brandon Lowe in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays and signed free agent Ryan O'Hearn, which totals an extra $25 million to the payroll.

Pittsburgh doesn't have a massive payroll yet, around $90-$95 million, but still has other potential additions in left-handed starting pitching, another relief pitcher or two, plus potentially another outfielder.

Suárez would likely also want a team that he sees as closer to competing, such as a return with the Mariners or signing with the Boston Red Sox, who might not mind meeting his contract demands.

But with the market so quiet around Suárez, the Pirates could find a way to land him with a favorable contract.

They may either give him more years, or a higher salary that would entice him, over a cheaper contract from a supposed contender.

The Pirates would benefit greatly from adding Suárez to their lineup, as they ranked last in home runs in 2025 at just 117 total, while also posting the worst slugging percentage (.350) and OPS (.655),

Only five other players have hit more home runs than Suárez since 2018 and only Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner has more home runs in a reason than his total in 2025.

He has never hit less than 21 home runs in a season in his career, where he played more than 100 games, which is more than any Pirates player had this season, with center fielder Oneil Cruz leading with 20 home runs.

Durability and power for the Pirates makes sense, especially after they moved on from prior long-time third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes at the trade deadline, who struggled with power, but was a Gold Glove Award winner.

The Pirates are still a finalist for Suárez, according to both Bowen and what Jon Heyman said on Bleacher Report, so there's still a chance for them to make a corner infield addition that they want.