Pittsburgh Pirates president Travis Williams promised that there are resources to “add aggressively” this offseason, so the big story at the start of the MLB Winter Meetings is whether they’ll be serious spenders.

While skeptics are smart to take a wait-and-see approach, a report by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic on Sunday night that the Pirates have extended a four-year contract offer to Kyle Schwarber that “almost certainly is for more than $100 million” was sure to raise eyebrows.

Rosenthal warned that the Pirates remain a “long shot” to sign Schwarber, but it’s a big swing. The slugger has 187 home runs in four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and led the National League with 56 homers and MLB with 132 RBIs — both career bests — last season.

Here’s the catch: It could require a five-year deal worth close to $30 million a year to land Schwarber, who is expected to be courted by the Phillies, New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds. That might be too rich for the Pirates. The most they have ever spent on a long-term contract is the eight-year, $106.75 million extension given to Bryan Reynolds in 2023. The most the Pirates have ever spent on a free agent is $39 million on left-hander Francisco Liriano in 2014. And they haven’t signed any free agents to a multi-year contract since 2017.

Another issue is how they plan to use Schwarber, who turns 33 in March and served as designated hitter in 154 of his 162 games. He would be expected to provide instant pop to a lineup that lacked run producers and ranked as one of the worst offenses in the majors the past two seasons.

A left-handed hitter, Schwarber is viewed as someone who would mash at PNC Park because of the short porch in right field. But Schwarber has a career .207 batting average and .751 OPS with 10 doubles, nine homers and 22 RBIs in 47 career games at PNC Park.

Of course, Schwarber showcased his ability to make a splash with a towering two-run homer into the Allegheny River to spark the Chicago Cubs to a win over the Pirates in the 2015 NL wild card game.

But signing Schwarber — or another DH candidate — would likely eliminate the return of Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates’ most popular player and biggest star of the PNC Park era. That’s a risk the Pirates appear ready to take, if they are willing to pay the price.

The Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte celebrates his home run with Joc Pederson during the first inning against the Pirates on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, at PNC Park. (Christopher Horner | TribLive)  

1. More swings: Even if Schwarber isn’t attainable, the Pirates are expected to chase some big names through trades or free agency, with the expectation of adding a corner infielder and outfielder.

That the Pirates have been linked to Ketel Marte (28 homers, 72 RBIs, .893 OPS) and Jorge Polanco (26 homers, 78 RBIs, .821 OPS) is interesting, as both are primarily middle infielders.

The Pirates also have been connected to slugging third basemen Eugenio Suarez and Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamota of Japan. The question is how much they are willing to downgrade their defense in an effort to improve the offense.

The Curve’s Konnor Griffin warms up before making his Class AA debut against Reading on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, at PNG Field in Altoona. (Christopher Horner | TribLive)  

2. Gearing up for Griffin: Outfielders Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz appear to be the only locks in the starting lineup, though there is confidence in both Spencer Horwitz and Jared Triolo within the organization.

Neither is locked into a specific position, as Horowitz can play first and second while Triolo is a candidate at both short and third. And Nick Gonzales can play second base and shortstop.

It might be a matter of Triolo or Gonzales playing shortstop until the Pirates decide what to do about Konnor Griffin, who is expected to get a long look at shortstop in spring training, and much could depend on how baseball’s No. 1 prospect performs.

There are reservations about rushing Griffin, given that he has only 98 plate appearances above High-A. Griffin is important to the future of the franchise, so the Pirates want to be careful about putting him in position to succeed. But the way he’s exceeded every challenge to this point in his pro career, both offensively and defensively, has made Griffin a unique case.

Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning against the Cardinals on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at PNC Park. (Christopher Horner | TribLive)  

3. A pitch for Mitch: Despite the widespread belief that Mitch Keller is the Pirates’ most likely trade chip, it appears possible that the right-hander could remain in the rotation.

Keller, who has averaged 31 starts over the past four seasons, is considered expendable mostly because of the $55 million owed over the next three seasons. That’s considered affordable for a mid-rotation starter in the majors, but his $16.5 million salary in 2026 is the highest on the Pirates.

After sending righty starter Johan Oviedo to Boston in the five-player deal that acquired a top-100 prospect in outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia, there is a feeling that the Pirates would be willing to trade another starter but only if it really made sense.

With Hunter Barco and Evan Sisk as the only left-handers on the pitching staff, the Pirates would prefer to add another lefty.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a lefty starter, even though Pirates general manager Ben Cherington has signed one every year: Derek Holland, Tyler Anderson, Jose Quintana, Rich Hill, Martin Perez and Andrew Heaney.

Boston Red Sox's Jhostynxon Garcia bats during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)  

4. Password protected: Although the Pirates acquired Garcia, who turns 23 this week, they aren’t counting on him to be an immediate starter and are expected to add another corner outfielder.

Garcia is viewed as a potential fit in center or left field because of his arm and athleticism. The Pirates like his swing, his power potential and aggressive attitude at the plate but will work to shrink his strike zone and help him become more selective about which pitches to chase to reduce his strikeout rate.

Pitcher Jesus Travieso is considered a lottery ticket, a potential steal because of his upper-90s fastball and a solid slider. The 18-year-old right-hander is viewed as the equivalent of selecting a prep pitcher early in the draft. That makes sense, considering the Pirates used their first-round pick on Seth Hernandez and a second-rounder on Angel Cervantes, who opted to attend UCLA.

San Francisco Giants' Marco Luciano hits against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training baseball game, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)  

5. Waiver wire flyer: The Pirates were willing to take a flyer on Marco Luciano, claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants on Friday, because of his power potential and his ability to hit left-handers.

Not only has Luciano hit double-digit home runs in every season in the minors, including 23 at Triple-A Sacramento in 2025, but he batted .333/.415/.472 in 41 plate appearances with the Giants in 2023-24. That could be a possible pathway to making the team as a fourth outfielder, but Luciano is out of minor league options so it’s also perhaps his only chance.

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