Could a quest that began a year ago make the Pittsburgh Pirates their first baseman of the future?

Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumor listed Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor as a potential trade candidate this offseason and listed the Pirates as a potential landing spot for the left-handed power hitter. Along with that, he noted that Pittsburgh has been interested in Naylor since last offseason.

Selling high on Naylor this winter, however, could yield more than just a draft pick. Naylor’s name has already surfaced in past trade rumors, as the Cubs, Mariners and Pirates have all reportedly held talks with the Guardians about Naylor last winter acquiring Michael Busch probably puts them out of the running, but Seattle and Pittsburgh are still going for first base help and offensive help in general.

Naylor, 27, is having the best season of his career in terms of hitting power in 2024, hitting 31 home runs and driving in 108 runs. He has made sacrifices in other categories, however, as he slashed .308/.354/.489 in 2023 and saw those numbers drop to .243/.320/.456 last season.

It’s no secret Pittsburgh needs to improve their offense and trading or signing a first baseman is one way to solve their offensive problems. The fate of the Pirates regime most likely depends on whether they can become a more successful team in 2025.

Pittsburgh also has the depth of its farm system that could give them an advantage in trade negotiations with the Guardians over other teams. The Pirates have three right-handed pitchers, Bubba Chandler (No. 15), Braxton Ashcraft (No. 85) and Thomas Harrington (No. 91), ranked among MLB Pipeline’s top 100 prospects. Parting ways with him might be enough to land a bat like Naylor.

“As the Guardians have a lot of uncertainty about their starting rotation next year, teams that have pitching to offer could have a leg up in trade talks,” Polishuk wrote. “The Guards’ usual tactic of pursuing at least one prospect and at least one immediately MLB-ready player in trades might be limited by the fact that Naylor is only controlled for one season.”

Given the pressure to win next season, potentially only having Naylor for one season shouldn’t scare the team. Pirates disabled. He would be a proven bat and the type of player who made up a bottom-10 offense in almost every major category last season.

And if Naylor can continue his success from last season, he could be the middle-order bat that Pittsburgh has needed for years and could be the difference between meaningful games in September.

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