PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates desperately need hitters to make their 2026 season a competitive one and they could go after one of the best of this generation in free agency.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic wrote about his top 50 free agents this offseason and their best team fits. He ranked San Diego Padres first baseman Luis Arráez as the 30th best free agent and the Pirates as one of the spots where he might end up next season.
Why the Pirates Would Benefit From Signing Luis Arráez
Arráez gives the Pirates exactly what they need next season, which is a consistent, every day batter that they could rely on.
He is a three-time MLB batting champion, three-time All-Star and a two-time Silver Slugger Award, doing so all from 2022-24 with three different teams in the Minnesota Twins, Miami Marlins and Padres.
The Pirates were awful as a team from the plate, serving as one of the worst hitting teams in baseball.
Pittsburgh had the lowest slugging percentage (.350) and OPS (.655), the third lowest batting average (.231) and the eighth lowest on-base percentage (.305).
The Pirates also scored the least runs (583) and drove in the least RBIs (561), both lower than the 43-119 Colorado Rockies. They also hit the least home runs (117), 31 home runs less than then second-lowest team in the St. Louis Cardinals at 148 home runs, and had the seventh most strikeouts (1,422).
Arráez would massively improve that team batting average and give the Pirates someone that could get on base with consistency and start rallies.
He also isn’t confined to first base, playing at second base and even featuring in left field earlier in his career, where the Pirates don’t have a starter for next season.
Sep 13, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres second baseman Luis Arraez (4) throws to first base for an out during the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | David Frerker-Imagn Images
The Pirates would likely put him in the designated hitter role, where they also currently don’t have a starter there for next season, with Andrew McCutchen’s future with the team undecided.
Will the Pirates Sign Arráez?
Arráez will command a hefty price in free agency, due to his success at the plate in recent season.
Bowden projects Arráez for a two-year, $30 million deal, $15 million per season, and Spotrac projected him for a five-year, $70,551,010 deal, $14.1 million per season.
That would rank second most amongst all Pirates players next season, with right-handed starting pitcher Mitch Keller making $16.9 million in 2026. Outfielder Bryan Reynolds also makes $14.25 million next season, the highest-paid position player on the Pirates.
The Pirates, who regularly rank amongst the lowest in payroll, haven’t spent much in free agency, let alone, given long-term contracts to free agents.
Pittsburgh hasn’t signed a position player to a multi-year deal out of free agency since outfielder John Jaso on Dec. 23, 2015, on a two-year, $8 million deal. Their last multi-year free agent signing was right-handed starting pitcher Iván Nova on Dec. 27, 2016 on a three-year, $26 million deal.
Arráez also isn’t a power hitter, hitting a 12 home runs the past two seasons and 36 total home runs in his seven seasons at the MLB level.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said at the general manager meetings in Las Vegas, Nev. last week that he has more “flexibility” when it comes to this offseason, which might mean they make some serious, high-profile free agent signings.
Arráez might make sense for the Pirates on a one-year deal, but they might put that money elsewhere, especially since they still need a starting left fielder and third baseman next season.
Luis Arráez Background
Arráez hails from San Felipe, Venezuezla and signed with the Minnesota Twins as an international free agent at 16 years old in November 2013.
He eventually made it to the Twins’ MLB roster on May 17, 2019 and had a strong rookie campaign, slashing .334/.399/.439 for an OPS of .838 in 92 games, finishing sixth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.
Arráez spent four more seasons with Minnesota, having his best year in 2022, when he led the American League with a .316 batting average and struck out just 43 times in 603 at-bats, with his 7.1% strikeout rate the lowest among MLB batters.
The Twins traded him to the Marlins that offseason and Arráez led baseball with a .354 batting average, the best of his career.
Apr 24, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez (3) hits a single against the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Arráez spent the first 33 games with the Marlins in 2024, before they traded him to the Padres on May 4, where he played the final 117 games, winning the National League batting title with a .314 average.
He became the first player in MLB history to win three straight batting titles with three different teams.
Arráez spent all of 2025 with the Padres, slashing .292/.327/.392 for an OPS of .719 in 154 games leading the NL with 181 hits.