Pirates Named Landing Spot for Guardians First Baseman
Could a pursuit that began a year ago lead to the Pittsburgh Pirates their first baseman of the future?
MLB Trade Rumor's Mark Polishuk listed Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor as a potential trade candidate this offseason and listed the Pirates as a potential landing spot for the left-handed power hitter. Along with that, he noted Pittsburgh has had an interest in Naylor since last offseason.
"Selling high on Naylor this winter might land more than just a draft pick, however. Naylor’s name has already surfaced in past trade rumors, as the Cubs, Mariners, and Pirates all reportedly had talks with the Guardians about Naylor last winter. Chicago’s subsequent acquisition of Michael Busch probably takes them out of the running, yet Seattle and Pittsburgh are both still targeting first base help, and offensive help in general."
Naylor, 27, has the best season of his career in terms of hitting for power in 2024, slugging 31 home runs and driving in 108 runs. He did sacrifice in other categories though, as he slashed .308/.354/.489 in 2023 and saw those numbers dip to .243/.320/.456 last season.
It's no secret that Pittsburgh needs to improve their offense and trading or signing a first baseman is one way to address their offensive woes. The fate of the Pirates regime more than likely depends on their ability to become a better hitting team in 2025.
Pittsburgh also has the pitching depth in its farm system that could give them an edge in trade talks with the Guardians over other teams. The Pirates have three right-handed pitchers, Bubba Chandler (No. 15), Braxton Ashcraft (No. 85) and Thomas Harrington (No. 91) ranked in MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospects. Parting with one could be enough to land a bat like Naylor.
"Since the Guardians have a lot of uncertainty in their starting rotation next year, teams that have pitching to offer might have a leg up in trade talks," Polishuk wrote. "The Guards’ usual tactic of pursuing at least one prospect and at least one immediate MLB-ready player in trades could be limited by the fact that Naylor is only controlled for one season."
Given the pressure to win next season, potentially only having Naylor for one season shouldn't scare the Pirates off. He'd be a proven bat and the type of player that an offense that ranked in the bottom 10 in nearly every major category last season.
And if Naylor can continue his success from last season, he could be the middle-of-the-order bat Pittsburgh has needed for years and may be the difference between it playing meaningful games in September.
