The Pittsburgh Pirates are putting themselves into the picture of a number of trade and free agent rumors.
Can they finish the job on any of their pursuits?
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal named five players currently in the Pirates' crosshairs as part of a new article on Thursday.
Those five:
- Rays 2B Brandon Lowe
- White Sox CF Luis Robert
- Free agent 1B Ryan O'Hearn
- Free agent DH Marcell Ozuna
- Free agent 1B/3B Kazuma Okamoto
MORE: The Mets keep taking players from the Yankees
Lowe has been involved in a lot of trade rumors this offseason. Robert has been involved in plenty of trade speculation all year.
The three free agents would all add some thump to the Pirates' lineup to go with a promising pitching staff. None would be marquee signings, but they'd all be upgrades.
"Trades could prove the Pirates’ best path if they repeatedly are spurned by free agents," Rosenthal writes. "Kyle Schwarber rejected them, and so could others who prefer to play for more competitive teams. Already, one person in the industry has created a term for a Pittsburgh club that might keep finishing as runners-up: 'Pirates-maids.'"
Ouch.
The Pirates may want to avoid that nickname if they can. It's one thing to want to raise the payroll and roster talent. It's another to actually get it done, and there's still work for them to do.
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