This is the last of a three-part series that looks at the three big questions surrounding the Pirates as the offseason begins in earnest. The first part looked at how much money the Pirates might have to spend this winter and the second part examined the team's options for the middle infield.
The projection of when Gregory Polanco will be able to play in 2019 varies widely.
The Pirates right fielder underwent significant surgery in early October to repair a torn labrum in his left (throwing) shoulder, The team's medical staff has said Polanco could return as soon as mid-April or as late as mid-June.
The Pirates have internal options to replace Polanco. Yet none are as good as young Austin Meadows, who was traded to the Rays on July 31 as part of a three-player package for right-hander Chris Archer.
Jose Osuna, Jordan Luplow and Pablo Reyes are possibilities. Though all are 25 and bat right-handed, none has significant major league experience.
Osuna has played in 155 games, hitting .231/.263/.417 with 10 home runs. Though he has some power and plays all four corner infield and outfield spots, his overall defense is poor and some scouts believe his future is as a designated hitter in the American League.
Luplow has shown flashes of being a productive hitter but they have been far and few between. He has batted .194/.274/.371 with six homers in 64 games.
Reyes made his debut in September and shined with a .293/.349/.483 line and three homers in 18 games. However, he has much more experience on the infield than in the outfield.
While it is hard to envision any of the three being able to play right field on a regular basis, it is reasonable to expect that one could be a potential short-side platoon partner with a veteran left-handed hitter, who would then transition into a reserve role once Polanco is healthy.
Four veterans fit the description and could potentially be folded into the Pirates' traditionally tight payroll: Curtis Granderson, Jon Jay, Matt Joyce and switch-hitting Melky Cabrera.
Granderson, 37, is coming off a season in which he hit a combined .242/.351/.431 and belted 13 home runs in 123 games with the Blue Jays and Brewers while making $5 million. The downside is Granderson has lost a considerable amount of range, though that would be mitigated somewhat by the small right field of PNC Park.
Jay, 33, doesn't have the power associated with a corner outfielder but is good defensively. He made a reasonable $3 million this past season while batting a combined .268/.330/.347 with three homers in 143 games with the Royals and Diamondbacks.
Joyce, 34, had a fine season with the Pirates in 2016 but a poor 2018 for the Athletics, as he was hampered by back problems. He will likely have to take a significant cut from his $6-million salary after posting a dismal .208/.322/.353 line with seven homers in 83 games.
Despite still sitting on the free-agent market when the 2018 season began, Cabrera wound up providing good value for the Indians while making just $1 million. The 34-year-old hit .280/.335/420 with six homers in 78 games, though he was borderline horrible in the field.
In a way, it would be fitting if the Pirates signed Cabrera. Former general manager Dave Littlefield pushed hard to acquire him during the Winter Meetings following the 2006 season when Cabrera was a young player with the Yankees.
However, Littlefield was unable to strike a deal and instead wound up acquiring first baseman Adam LaRoche from the Braves a month later.
Meanwhile, a speedy recovery by Polanco would be a boon to the Pirates as he is coming off the best offensive season of his five-year career. He led the team with 23 home runs and 81 RBIs while hitting .254/.340/.499 in 130 games.
Those were good numbers in light of the Pirates finishing 19th among the 30 major league teams with an average of 4.30 runs a game, and were 25th in home runs with 157.