It’s been a reasonably quiet offseason for the Pirates, with their most outstanding strikes to this point together with the acquisition of first baseman Spencer Horwitz (in alternate for righty Luis Ortiz) and the re-signing of franchise icon Andrew McCutchen on one other one-year, $5MM deal. The Bucs have been stated final month to be exploring the bullpen and nook outfield markets, and that seems to nonetheless be the case. Robert Murray of FanSided extra particularly stories that Alex Verdugo is one identify in whom the Pirates have curiosity.
Verdugo, 29 in Could, is coming off a down season with the Yankees — his lone season within the Bronx. The previous second-rounder and prime prospect bought out to a giant begin in his lone Yankees season, slashing .275/.362/.450 by means of his first 140 plate appearances. He tanked thereafter, posting only a .221/.270/.330 slash over his remaining 480 journeys to the plate. Total, he completed out the season with a .233/.291/.356 batting line — about 17% worse than league-average, by measure of wRC+.
Ugly as these outcomes have been, they stand as one thing of an anomaly in distinction with the remainder of Verdugo’s profession. Whereas he’s by no means damaged out into stardom, Verdugo was a stable common within the outfield corners from 2019-23, batting a mixed .283/.338/.432 in 2448 plate appearances with the Dodgers and Pink Sox from 2019-23. That’s “solely” about six % higher than league common, however he coupled that manufacturing with high quality nook outfield grades (per each Defensive Runs Saved and, to a lesser extent, Outs Above Common). Verdugo has by no means been a giant energy bat — he’s reached a career-high 13 house runs in three completely different seasons, together with 2024 — however not often strikes out (profession 15.1%). He’s tied for fifth within the majors in doubles relationship again to 2020.
Verdugo’s lack of over-the-fence pop and his middling end to the 2024 season mix to pull down his incomes energy in free company. Given his lackluster ’24 exhibiting and his age, he appears more likely to take a one-year deal and return to the market subsequent winter, hopefully on the heels of a steadier and extra productive efficiency. He’d nonetheless solely be coming into his age-30 season, an age at which loads of outfielders discover profitable multi-year offers.
Bucs followers could also be exhausted with the notion of one-year offers for veteran rebound candidates, however that’s the free-agent actuality through which the crew sometimes operates underneath present possession. Verdugo would match the invoice and fill a place of want. Because it stands, Pittsburgh’s outfield initiatives to incorporate Bryan Reynolds, shortstop-turned-center-fielder Oneil Cruz and maybe Josh Palacios, although in-house choices like Jack Suwinski and Billy Prepare dinner may get consideration this spring as nicely. Verdugo would extra prominently step into an on a regular basis function alongside Reynolds and Cruz.
As issues stand, the Pirates’ projected payroll is a paltry $79MM, per RosterResource. That’s about $8MM south of final 12 months’s $87MM mark. Having crammed their first base want inexpensively through the Horwitz acquisition, there should be extra (albeit modest) spending energy to deliver an outfielder of Verdugo’s caliber into the fold and maybe nonetheless add a free agent reliever to the combo. Earlier within the offseason, the Phillies signed Max Kepler to a one-year deal price a assured $10MM. Verdugo is youthful however has much less energy and defensive upside; a contract in that common vary appears doable, however he doesn’t appear more likely to command greater than that.
