Most Pittsburgh Pirates fans roll their eyes when they hear the phrase ‘quantity over quality.’ That is usually the code phrase for instead of spending a large sum on one free agent, they’ll instead sign multiple players to lower-cost contracts that equal the large sum they could give to a top available FA. However, in most cases, this hasn’t worked for the Pirates, as the combined production from 2-3 lower-cost players didn’t come close to what they could have gotten from a better free agent for the same cost. But it seems like the Pirates may have finally learned their lesson; they’re not just getting both quantity this offseason, but quality as well.
The Pirates have missed out on free agents this year, like Kyle Schwarber (who they offered a four-year, $125 million deal/$31.25 million AAV), and Jorge Polanco (who signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the New York Mets). However, instead of taking the $20-$30 million and acquiring three players worth $8-10 million, they’ve instead decided to aim higher.
The first acquisition was Brandon Lowe. Lowe batted .256/.307/.477 with a .334 wOBA and 114 wRC+ over 553 plate appearances with the Tampa Bay Rays last season. Lowe has established himself as one of the best power hitters at second base in the game. He went yard 31 times last year, with a .221 isolated slugging percentage. Since his 2019 rookie season, Lowe’s .235 ISO is the 16th best of any hitter with 2500+ trips to the plate, surpassing the likes of Corey Seager, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Freddie Freeman. Lowe will make $11.5 million in 2026.
Then they went out and signed Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million contract. The first baseman had one of the best seasons of his career in 2025, batting .281/.366/.437 with a .349 wOBA, and 127 wRC+ in 544 PA’s. O’Hearn’s power output was only about league average, with 17 home runs and a .156 ISO. However, he only struck out 20% of the time with a career-high 10.7% walk rate. O’Hearn provided plus defense at first base, with +6 DRS and +4 OAA in only 541.1 innings. Since breaking out in 2023, O’Hearn is among the top 50 batters in wRC+ (min. 1000 PA’s), coming in at 121.
Between Lowe and O’Hearn, the Pirates are paying the two sluggers a combined $26 million. That goes beyond what the Mets will pay Polanco in 2026, and just slightly less than what the Bucs would have offered Schwarber per year. When the Pirates missed out on both power hitters, many were understandably skeptical about what the rest of the Pirates’ offseason would hold.
While the Pirates may still be taking the ‘quantity over quality’ route, they are doing it in a way that is far less risky, with a much higher chance of providing good results on the field. They’re not signing 3-4 past-their-prime veterans, hoping a few can stick. They acquired one of the best power-hitting middle infielders in the sport and another bat who has consistently posted quality numbers over the last three seasons.
