Reports of Pirates free-agent spending only magnifies team's problem

There is perhaps no team in Major League Baseball facing more pressure from its own fan base to have a big offseason than the Pittsburgh Pirates. Not only do they have one of the longest active playoff droughts in Major League Baseball (and all of professional sports), but they are also at risk of wasting another season of Paul Skenes during what will almost certainly be a very limited time with the 2025 National League Cy Young winner.

History suggests ownership will not pony up big money to improve the team, while general manager Ben Cherington has lost almost every major move he has made in his six-plus years on the job. 

Given the near certainty of a Skenes trade in the coming years, the situation is bleak. That is why Tuesday's report from ESPN baseball insider Jeff Passan that the Pirates could be a surprising spender this offseason was so eye-opening.

But if you are paying attention to the details and reading between the lines, while also looking at the team's history, it is probably worth going back to sleep on this franchise and that report.

Reports of Pirates willingness to spend only highlight the team's issue

It is important to note that the largest free-agent contract the Pirates have ever handed out was a $39 million contract for starting pitcher Francisco Liriano in December 2014. They have not signed a free agent to a multiyear contract since starting pitcher Ivan Nova in 2016. 

Those are shocking numbers in terms of how low they are and how long ago they were.

But Passan reported the Pirates were willing to double the amount of money they spent on Liriano to try to lure Josh Naylor to Pittsburgh before he re-signed with the Seattle Mariners. He also reported the Pirates are in on left-handed slugger Kyle Schwarber.

That all sounds exciting and encouraging if you are a Pirates fan. But this is where you need to read between the lines and think a little deeper.

Naylor ended up re-signing in Seattle for $92 million over five years. If the Pirates were willing to "double" what they spent on Liriano, that would have only taken them to around $80 million on an offer for Naylor. That's still roughly $12 million short of what the market value would be for a very good, but not quite superstar bat. 

They might be "in" on Schwarber, but that story will likely have the same outcome where their number ends up falling significantly short of what the actual cost will end up being. 

This is the Pirates in a nutshell. They are willing to spend money and go after people — but only at their price, not the market price. They love to leak out word that they "tried" and that they were "in" on a prominent player. But they never actually get them. 

The most likely outcome for this season is still a potential trade of Mitch Keller, and then using his money, as well as the money they cut in July's trade of Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds, to get their spending back to their 2025 level that was still at the bottom of the league.

The best lesson to take with the Pirates is always to believe what they do, not what they say. Believe it when you see it should always be the mindset with this club.