Pittsburgh Pirates Make Unprecedented Free Agent Offer

In a stunning development that we've heard some inklings about in recent weeks, the Pittsburgh Pirates have actually made an unprecedented free agent offer (for them), by dangling a huge four-year deal in front of top slugger Kyle Schwarber.

Insider Ken Rosenthal reports in The Athletic:

Are you sitting down?
The Pittsburgh Pirates have made free-agent designated hitter Kyle Schwarber a four-year offer, according to people briefed on their discussions. The offer almost certainly is for more than $100 million.

The Pirates' previous largest contract ever handed out was to their own outfielder Bryan Reynolds, with a $106.75 million contract extension. In free agency, the largest amount of dough the Bucs have ever surrendered was $39 million, for left-hander Francisco Liriano, a full 11 years ago.

The Athletic has previously projected Schwarber to land a five-year, $145 million contract, which is still out of the reach of the Pirates.

Pittsburgh is in Schwarber's home state of Ohio, so maybe there's a bit of pull for the 56-home run hitter to consider. However, his true hometown team, the Cincinnati Reds, are also said to be seriously in the running to sign him.

Meanwhile, it's felt around the sport that Schwarb's incument team, the Philaelphia Phillies, are still the favorite to re-sign him, with the Boston Red Sox doing their darndest to give them a run for their money.

Schwarber is coming off a career-best 56 long balls last season, and is turning 33. As a DH-only, it puts a bit of a cap on what teams will spend... but not by that much, given his immense power and leadership abilities.

He would certainly transform the Pirates from a laughstock to a team to be taken seriously, instantly. But let's not hold our breath.