Perrotto: Pirates Should Pursue Under-The-Radar Free Agent

The names associated with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ search for a right fielder are hardly overwhelming – Alex Verdugo and Randal Grichuk.

Of course, should anything else be expected of the frugal Pirates? Anthony Santander and the 44 home runs he hit for the Baltimore Orioles aren’t walking through the door of the home team’s clubhouse at PNC Park to propel the Pirates to their first postseason appearance since 2015.

The Pirates have never signed a free agent to a contract for more than $39 million. It was a three-year deal to Francisco Liriano that was consummated 10 years ago.

You know the old joke about the cheap guy opening his wallet and moths flying out? It’s not a joke regarding Pirates owner Bob Nutting and his aversion to free agents.

So, general manager Ben Cherington is again bargain hunting with the start of spring training just five weeks away.

Verdugo has name recognition because he has been part of marquee franchises like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees in his eight-year career. However, Verdugo is an ordinary hitter who batted .223/.291/.356 with 13 home runs in 149 games.

The 28-year-old left-handed hitter’s statistics might be aided by playing his home games at PNC Park but not enough to get too excited a player whose most memorable accomplishment of 2024 might have been learning he was allergic to his batting gloves.

Grichuk had a good 2024 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, hitting .291/.348/.528 with 12 home runs in 106 games. He also had just 279 plate appearances because the 33-year-old right-handed hitter has become a platoon player.

Grichuk’s .801 OPS against right-handed pitchers last season was noteworthy and his .914 mark against left-handers was outstanding. The Diamondbacks’ decision to limit Grichuk helped keep fresh but the Pirates need a right fielder young enough to start 140-145 games this upcoming season.

Two other possibilities for the Pirates are Austin Hays and Tommy Pham. Hays had a lost season last year when he was sidelined by three injuries, including a kidney infection. It’s easy to wonder what Pham has left at 37.

One outfielder on the free agent market who could present value to the Pirates, though, is Ramon Laureano. Value, of course, is always something the Pirates hunt.

Laureano is 30 years old, so he is just at the beginning of the decline phase of his career

Laureano had a decent season last year while playing 98 games combined with the Cleveland Guardians and Atlanta Braves. He hit .259/.311/.437 with 11 home runs and eight stolen bases.

The Braves didn’t need Laureano to play regularly last year but he is still young enough to handle a large division of labor.

Laureano was particularly effective in 67 games with the Braves, who signed him in late May after he was released by the Guardians, posting a .296/.327/.505 slash line with 10 homers and five steals. Furthermore, Laureano had 10 defensive runs saved in just 56 games in right field for the Oakland Athletics in 2023.

Laureano’s salary was reasonable last year at $5.15 million.

He likely wouldn’t command much more this winter, which almost certainly would make him a more cost-effective alternative to Verdugo and Grichuk. Verdugo made $8.7 million last season, and Grichuk is fair in seeking a substantial raise on his $1.5-million salary.

It’s not a stretch to see Laureano being a 20-20 player in 2025 if he stays healthy and gets significant at-bats. That’s why if the Pirates are going on the cheap, Laureano is a free agent worth pursuing.

And for good measure, Laureano sounds very much like Liriano.