If there is one player many Pittsburgh Pirates fans don’t want on the roster, it’s Jack Suwinski. The outfielder once looked like a potential building block for the Bucs after his solid 2022 rookie season and his breakout sophomore campaign. However, the last two years have seen him struggle badly. The Pirates don’t have an immediate left-handed hitting replacement for Suwinski, but they could sign veteran outfielder Mike Tauchman to take his roster spot.

Mike Tauchman’s Solid Production is What the Pirates Need

Tauchman has been an above-average hitter since returning from Korea in 2023. Last year, he spent the entire season with the Chicago White Sox. Over 385 plate appearances, Tauchman slashed .263/.356/.400. He drew a free pass at a healthy 11.7% rate. His strikeout rate was also about league average at 22.3%. However, he did not hit for much power, with only nine home runs, and an .137 isolated slugging percentage.

that’s what we’re Tauchman about pic.twitter.com/GmvqqXgNhD

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 26, 2025

Defensively, Tauchman has usually graded out as a solid outfield glove. In 2025, he had +3 defensive runs saved with zero outs above average. He has ample experience at all three outfield positions, having appeared in over 130 games at each spot. However, when he took the field in 2025, he only marched out to right field. Left field is his best position, statistically, where he has double-digit DRS and OAA in 1,001 career innings.

 

Suwinski’s Struggles

Suwinski started out as a promising young outfielder, but has really struggled over the last two seasons. Looking for a Suwinski replacement just three years ago looked like an impossibility. In 2023, he batted .224/.339/.454 with 26 home runs. While he struck out nearly a third of the time (32.2% K%), he also drew walks at a 14% rate. His .230 ISO was the ninth best among qualified outfielders. Overall, he had a quality wRC+ of 112. On top of that, Suwinski played solid center field defense.

However, since then, Suwinski has hit a meager .169/.271/.297 with a 59 wRC+. His power has all but evaporated, with just a dozen home runs over his last 455 plate appearances. While he has cut his K% down to 29.9%, his walk rate has also moved in the wrong direction. Suwinski has an 11.2% BB% since 2024. The outfield defense has also wavered, with -14 DRS and -9 outfield OAA throughout the last two campaigns.

🚨 The Pirates and Jack Suwinski have agreed to a 1 year $1.25 million deal to avoid arbitration per @ByRobertMurray pic.twitter.com/J6DPa0AYTL

— SleeperPirates (@SleeperPirates) November 20, 2025

Although he is signed through next season, there should not be a situation where Suwinski has a chance of making the Pirates’ Opening Day roster. He has been the fourth least valuable position player in 100+ games in baseball per fWAR in ‘24-’25. Tauchman, meanwhile, has been a solid producer, both at the plate and in the field. He is a left-handed hitter like Suwinski, so the Pirates wouldn’t have to worry about losing a platoon partner. There is too much riding on 2026 for the Pirates not to get as good a player as Tauchman left on the free agent market, and Tauchman would help the outfield depth chart, much more than Suwinski.

 

Main Photo Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports