The Pittsburgh Pirates vowed that they would be serious players in MLB free agency this offseason, specifically when it comes to adding bats.

However, they haven’t actually been able to get anything done so far in terms of adding legitimate, proven hitters.

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The Pirates were reportedly in on Josh Naylor, but watched him re-sign with the Seattle Mariners on a five-year, $92.5 million contract. They also made a four-year, $125 million offer for Kyle Schwarber, who ultimately re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on a five-year, $150 million pact.

Technically, Pittsburgh offered more average annual value for Schwarber than the Phillies, but let’s be real: does anyone really believe Schwarber was going to choose Pittsburgh over Philadelphia for an extra $1.25 million per year? Plus, the 32-year-old surely preferred the fifth year.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic isn’t buying the Pirates’ “aggressive” offseason approach and thinks it’s more about optics than anything else.

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Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington. Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.

Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington. Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.

“There were a lot of people celebrating the Pirates for making offers for free agents Schwarber and Josh Naylor. However, once the news got out that they offered Schwarber four years, $125 million and Naylor five years, $80 million, it became clear that the offers were more about being able to say they were willing to spend that money than they were a sincere attempt to get the player,” Bowden wrote.

Pittsburgh’s only chance of luring a top free agent — especially an older one like Schwarber — would be to vastly overpay, and the Bucs clearly had no intention of doing that.

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“Once the Pirates become the highest bidder on a big free agent, only then will we know they mean business. For now, it’s just eye wash,” added Bowden.

Of course, there is still plenty of time for Pittsburgh to make some moves, but the chances of the Pirates actually signing big-name free agents are slim to none.

They may have a chance with sluggers like Jorge Polanco and Ryan O’Hearn, but Schwarber was never going to happen. Neither are Kyle Tucker nor Cody Bellinger.

Perhaps Pittsburgh can swing some shrewd trades to bolster its anemic lineup. That’s probably the most realistic path to the Pirates actually improving this winter.