The Pittsburgh Pirates enter the offseason knowing that one of their rare offensive bright spots will not return without a significant free-agent commitment.
Brandon Lowe delivered exactly the production the club hoped for after acquiring him from Tampa Bay, appearing in 150 games and hitting 35 home runs while posting a career-best WAR total and earning a Gold Glove finalist nod at second base.
With Lowe now unrestricted and several other lineup spots still lacking consistent power, Pittsburgh must decide whether to spend freely to retain him or pivot toward a more cost-controlled alternative elsewhere in the infield.
Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller has identified Houston’s Isaac Paredes as the Pirates’ most logical trade target for a big infield bat.
Miller notes that third base in particular looks thin once Lowe’s production is removed, and he points to Houston’s willingness to move one of its infielders amid a crowded long-term picture that still includes Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa.
The Astros hold a club option on Paredes for roughly $13.4 million in 2027; exercising it is straightforward given his output, yet the combination of impending free agency after that season and the club’s need for starting pitching makes him a plausible trade chip.
The alliterative “Pittsburgh Paredes” nickname Miller highlights is secondary to the on-field fit.
Paredes just completed a career-high 155 games for Houston, batting .262 with a .360 on-base percentage, 25 home runs, and 94 RBI while generating nearly four wins above replacement.
He spent the bulk of his time at third base and offers the kind of contact skills and pull-side power that travel well to PNC Park’s dimensions.
At 27 years old, he is younger than Lowe, carries only one guaranteed year at a manageable salary, and would give Pittsburgh a clear everyday option at the hot corner rather than relying on Nick Gonzales’s limited power or waiting on prospect Murf Gray.
The defensive metrics are not elite, but neither were they for several other infielders who have produced value for contending clubs.
Executing such a deal would require Houston to prioritize pitching help over retaining a productive but non-elite third baseman, while Pittsburgh would need to offer prospects that fit the Astros’ timeline.
For a Pirates team that finished 82-80 and showed real offensive progress yet still missed the postseason, adding Paredes for one year of control represents a measured way to replace lost production without committing multi-year dollars to a 32-year-old free agent.
Whether the clubs can find common ground remains to be seen, but the positional and financial alignment makes the idea more than a mere nickname opportunity.
