The Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t lose Eugenio Suárez because they wouldn’t pay him. They lost him because history, ballparks and comfort still matter.
Suárez — who ranks sixth in MLB in home runs since 2018 — chose a one-year, $15 million reunion with the Cincinnati Reds, complete with a mutual option for 2027. According to sources, the Pirates matched the money and were even willing to go higher in AAV and add a second guaranteed year.
That says that Pittsburgh wasn’t bluffing this winter, but it also underscores the reality that one aggressive offseason doesn’t erase a decade of perception overnight.