One of the most unexpected rumors of the offseason dropped. The Pittsburgh Pirates have reportedly offer a contract worth over 100 million through 4 years to the National League MVP runner-up Kyle Shwarber. Despite the failed signing, what does this mean for the team’s future and Paul Skenes?
While it is not yet confirmed how much interest Shwarber has in the Pirates offer, the deal tells a lot about the approach of the Pirates moving forward. Multiple other teams have been linked to the designated hitter, and there could be teams that offer larger contracts to Shwarber.
The Pirates lack power more than any team in the MLB. The team finished 30th in home run totals last season with 117, which was significantly less than the Cardinals’ 148 that finished in the 29th place. The player who hit the most home runs this season was Oneil Cruz with 20, and the team’s slugging percentage was also last in the majors at .350.
The addition of Kyle Shwarber could be a major upgrade to the team’s poor slugging performance, as Shwarber had just come off a 56 home runs and .563 slugging percentage season. The slugger batted in a total of 132 RBI’s, and his presence is strong if added to any lineup in the league.
What This Means for the Pirates Future and Skenes
Even if the Pirates fail to sign Shwarber, this contract offer says a lot about the Pirates future approach. The Pirates are making it clear that they are looking to build around Skenes, and are willing to spend more than they used to. This suggests that they may not be looking to trade Paul Skenes, the National League Cy Young, any time soon.
The contract offer dismisses all Paul Skenes trade rumors, and suggests that the Pirates could be aggressive in the free agency and trade market moving forward. Even if they fail to sign Shwarber, they will certainly be aggressive in trying to upgrade their lineup with more power. Overall, this contract offer is a meaningful sign to the rest of the league, suggesting that the Pirates are going to be more aggressive than before and will try to build around Skenes in the near future.
The League Leader 
Leave a comment