PITTSBURGH – It’s the position most frequently associated with the Pirates, thanks to the greatness displayed by Roberto Clemente, Paul Waner and Dave Parker.
Right field has suddenly become an even bigger question mark for the current team after the Pirates non-tendered Bryan De La Cruz and Connor Joe last week.
The Pirates made the move because the projected salaries for De La Cruz and Joe through arbitration outweighed their expected production in 2025. The decision made sense, although trading ranked prospects – pitcher Jun-Seok Shim and infielder Garret Forrester – for De La Cruz at the deadline now looks worse in hindsight.
I don’t care, though. One of the most important tasks for the Pirates in 2025 is to secure a legitimate right fielder and generate even marginal offensive production from that position.
How bad were the Pirates’ right fielders offensively in 2024? Consider these numbers:
- A total of 12 players made at least one appearance in right field. Edward Olivares (45 games) led the group, and he was designated for assignment on Aug. 7. (Even worse, Olivares played his last game in Pittsburgh a month earlier.) That was the fewest games played by anyone at any position on the Pirates roster in 2024, underscoring how much of a revolving door it became.
- Pirates right fielders combined for minus-2.2 wins above replacement, according to Fangraphs. That was twice as bad as the second-worst position (center field) and ranked 29th in right-field productivity across Major League Baseball.
- The Pirates also ranked 29th in home runs (11), OPS (.614) and wRC+ (71) from right field.
Clearly, it was time for a change. The question now is what the Pirates should do.
There are several options. This could also be an opportunity for the Pirates to redirect some of the money they’ve saved on Paul Skenes and their young pitching staff.
In terms of free agency, several right-field options are available. My top three choices are Tyler O’Neill, Michael Conforto and Max Kepler.
O’Neill, a former Cardinal, hit 31 homers in 113 games with the Boston Red Sox. He knows the division well and has a career wRC+ of 116 (100 is average).
MLB Trade Rumors projects O’Neill to sign a three-year, $42 million contract. That would be a significant statement by the Pirates, signaling to fans that they’re serious about improving.
If not O’Neill, the other two options would also represent vast improvements over De La Cruz (wRC+ of 37 with the Pirates) and Joe, who hit just .180 over his final 73 games (not that it stopped him from batting cleanup).
Kepler checks several boxes the Pirates typically prioritize: ties to someone in the organization (manager Derek Shelton) and a player coming off a down year who might use playing time in Pittsburgh to reestablish his value (potentially offering the Pirates a discount).
In 105 games with the Twins last year, Kepler hit .253 with a .682 OPS. That OPS was down from .816 in 2023, and his home run total dropped from 24 to eight. However, Kepler has a career OPS of .746 and has hit 19 or more homers five times.
There could be value with Kepler, and a so-so year from him might offer another benefit the Pirates should consider: providing a way to salvage Jack Suwinski.
Yes, seriously.
I know the frustration with Suwinski, who hit .182 in 2024 and struck out 79 times in 277 plate appearances (28.5%). However, he’s only 26 and was arguably one of the most negatively affected by the Pirates’ flawed, team-wide philosophy that everyone should work deep counts.
You don’t hit 26 homers in a season or 45 in your first two – six fewer than Ralph Kiner, by the way – by accident.
New hitting coach Matt Hague must help Suwinski simplify his approach, and the Pirates should be ready with potential playing time if he turns things around.
One option could involve folding Kepler into a four-man outfield and exploring different alignments with Bryan Reynolds or Oneil Cruz.
The third option for the Pirates to consider is Conforto, who blends aspects of the other two players.
Conforto’s 2024 season included 20 homers and a .759 OPS, but it was a roller coaster – .821 OPS before a hamstring injury in May, a dismal June and July (.589 OPS) and a strong finish with 10 homers and an .859 OPS over his final 45 games.
If Conforto is healthy, he has historically been a productive player, as evidenced by his career wRC+ of 119.
MLB Trade Rumors projects Conforto could land a two-year, $18 million deal in free agency. That’s very feasible for the Pirates. His career defensive metrics aren’t great, but much of the damage occurred when the Mets tried to force him into center field.
Bottom line: Non-tendering De La Cruz and Joe marked a refreshing break from mediocrity, offering a chance to address a glaring weak spot.
Now, the Pirates just need to follow through.