The Pirates' Struggles: A Missed Opportunity with Eugenio Suarez
The Pirates' Struggles: A Missed Opportunity with Eugenio Suarez
The Pirates' struggles in the National League last season were well-documented, with a staggering 1,422 strikeouts. But here's where it gets controversial: the team's desperate need for a third baseman was overlooked, and a potential solution was let slip away.
Bob Nutting and Ben Cherington watched a fastball go right down the middle, and the Pirates' need for power became evident. Eugenio Suarez, a right-handed batter, was an obvious choice, with 49 home runs last season, representing 42% of the Pirates' total and one more than the combined total of Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn.
Suarez's performance was impressive, and his presence would have been a game-changer. While he may not have played a robust third base, the Pirates' need for power was more important than Ke'Bryan Hayes 2.0. And the fact that Suarez was 34 and coming off a rotten second half only added to his value.
But the Pirates' offer was not enough to tempt Suarez. They should have known that equal offers wouldn't cut it when they were a league laughingstock. They needed to outbid people, maybe significantly. An extra year or $2-4 million more would have been a better offer, and it hardly would have bankrupted the franchise.
As ESPN's Jeff Passan tweeted, 'The best bat left on the market goes to Cincinnati.' The Pirates missed out on a potential game-changer, and the result was a missed opportunity. Maybe Suarez just wanted to return to a town where he played before, but the Pirates could have tempted him with a better offer.
The Pirates' struggles continue, and the team's need for power remains. The question remains: will they learn from their mistakes and make the necessary moves to improve their chances for success?
