Pirates Named Surprising Fit for Former NL MVP
The Pittsburgh Pirates are not historically known as a franchise that spends significant money on free agents. The fact that they rank 29th in the MLB in payroll should be a strong hint.
However, Jim Bowden of The Athletic actually thinks that the Pirates could be players for Chicago Cubs slugger Cody Bellinger this winter.
In a piece where Bowden listed the best possible fits for the top 45 free agents in the league this coming offseason, he had Pittsburgh placed among nine other potential fits for Bellinger.
Perhaps Bellinger's inconsistency could make him a rather surprising buy-low candidate on the open market.
"Bellinger has won an MVP, a Rookie of the Year, two Silver Slugger awards, a Gold Glove Award and has been an All-Star twice in his eight-year career," Bowden wrote. "However, his slash line over the past three seasons has been a roller coaster ride, which makes it difficult for teams to assess which version they would be getting in the coming years."
It's no secret that the Pirates need offense, so if Bellinger is available to them for the right place, it might be a smart move to pull the trigger.
Bellinger slashed .266/.325/.426 with 18 home runs and 78 RBI over 569 plate appearances in 2024, but last year, he registered an .881 OPS with 26 long balls.
The 29-year-old won an NL MVP award with the Los Angeles Dodgers back in 2019 when he slashed .305/.406/.629 with 47 dingers and 115 RBI, and while injuries have largely sapped him since, he at least remains a viable offensive option.
Pittsburgh ranked 27th in the majors in OPS this past season, demonstrating the club's need for some serious pop in its lineup.
Not a single Pirates player hit 25 home runs this year.
