It’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Pirates need to improve heading into next season.

If Pittsburgh wants to end its nine-year streak without making the playoffs, it needs to make big strides at the plate. The Pirates ranked in the bottom 10 in almost every major hitter category last season, which included the sixth-fewest runs per game and sixth-fewest home runs last season.

With such a dire need, MLB.com’s Mike Petriello urged the Pirates to sign a big stick or trade for one this offseason, especially given the state of their starting rotation heading into next season.

“They don’t have a good enough first baseman, or middle infielder, or right fielder, or DH,” Petriello wrote. “This team is crying out for a free agent like (Pete) Alonso or Teoscar Hernández, or a bounce-back trade for a Bichette or Luis Robert Jr. type, plus some bullpen help. With this young rotation, the time is came.”

Alonso or Hernández would be just what the doctor ordered for the Pirates. Both players hit over 30 home runs and drove in over 85 runs last season. None of them have hit fewer than 25 home runs or driven in fewer than 75 runs over the last four seasons. First baseman Christian Walker would also be a good fit for Pittsburgh.

While pushing full court against either of them would make perfect sense for Pittsburgh, it would be a far departure from its usual approach to free agency. The Pirates are known for not spending a lot of money in free agency, and while they might be inclined to spend more money than usual this year, Hernández and Alonso are more than likely out of their price range , unless there is a huge change in philosophy.

The biggest contract Pirates signed free agent left-handed pitcher Francisco Liriano in 2014, with whom they signed a three-year, $39 million contract. Hernández, Alonso and most of the top hitters in free agency will blow that number apart.

Straying from the norm is what it will likely take for the Pirates to add impact bats this offseason to improve next year. If they add a hitter of the caliber of Hernández, Alonso or Walker, it would go a long way in showing that they are serious about building a contender in Pittsburgh.

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