The Pirates’ 2026 position‑player group is largely set, as the club’s nearly $92 million commitment to its 40‑man roster leaves little room for additional high‑cost moves such as pursuing free‑agent third baseman Eugenio Suárez.
With the significant pieces already in place, the team is likely limited to adding depth options at third base, shortstop, and the outfield as spring training approaches.
The 2025 Pirates finished with the league’s worst offense, scoring 583 runs with a collective 6.6 fWAR—far below the roughly 25 fWAR produced by playoff teams last season. Within the NL Central, the Cubs (31.1), Brewers (28.2), and Reds (13.2) set the competitive baseline the Pirates will need to close.
Offseason additions Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, Jake Mangum, and Jhostyxon Garcia are projected to contribute a combined 4 fWAR, with the roster projecting to 17.9 fWAR overall—still well below last year’s playoff threshold. That total includes an aggressive projection for top prospect Konnor Griffin, forecast for 1.8 fWAR across 94 games.
Even a signing of Suárez would add only 2.6 projected fWAR, not enough to materially shift the team’s overall outlook.
Following the Cubs’ addition of Alex Bregman, they now project to lead the division at 27.6 fWAR, ahead of the Brewers (23.8) and Reds (19.9).
As has been the case throughout the offseason, the Pirates still appear to be at least a couple of bats short of contention-level depth. Their path forward will depend heavily on returning regulars producing to their ceilings to support a pitching staff that, when healthy, profiles as a top‑five group.