After trading third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds at the deadline, the Pittsburgh Pirates could use the vacancy to try and add some much-needed offense.
Outside of slugger Eugenio Suárez, who very likely will be out of the Pirates’ price range, the free agent market for third baseman is pretty thin. But there are some potential trade candidates who might be of interest to the Pirates, and Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung could be among them.
Jung was drafted by Texas with the eighth pick in the 2019 draft and made his MLB debut three years later, appearing in 22 games in 2022.
The following season was Jung’s best in the big leagues, when he was named an American League All-Star and finished fourth in the AL Rookie of the Year race after hitting .266 with a .781 OPS (113 OPS+), 25 doubles, 23 home runs and 70 RBI.
A right wrist fracture held Jung to just 46 games in 2024 when he hit .264 with a .719 OPS (108 OPS+) and seven home runs.
Jung appeared in a career-high 131 games this past season with the Rangers, but his production dipped and he finished the year at exactly league-average with a 100 OPS+. The 27-year-old finished the year with a .251/.294/.390 batting line, 23 doubles, 14 home runs and 61 RBI.
There are mixed reviews on Jung’s defense at the hot corner depending on which metrics you favor. He amassed minus-three defensive runs saved this past season but was in the 89th-percentile with five outs above average.
Jung is a first-time arbitration-eligible player this offseason and is projected to make just shy of $3 million. He is under club control through the 2028 season.
In their search for lineup help, the Pirates should be looking for someone who is more of a definite solution than Jung, but general manager Ben Cherington needs to cast a wide net in his efforts.
There are some reasons Jung could appeal to the Pirates, however. He has power to all fields, so he won’t be as affected by PNC Park’s spacious left field. Nine of Jung’s 23 home runs in 2023 were to center or right field, for example.
Then of course, there’s affordability. Everybody knows the Pirates are operating under a — let’s just say limited budget — and Jung’s projected salary won’t break the bank.
The two teams match up well in a potential trade given that the Rangers will be seeking pitching help this offseason and the Pirates have plenty of depth in that department.
Mentioned in this article: Pittsburgh Pirates
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