{"id":113435,"date":"2026-02-04T01:45:54","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T06:45:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=113435"},"modified":"2026-02-04T01:45:54","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T06:45:54","slug":"most-divisive-pirates-trade-target-isaac-paredes-pros-cons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/02\/04\/most-divisive-pirates-trade-target-isaac-paredes-pros-cons\/","title":{"rendered":"Pros and Cons of the Pirates’ Most Divisive Trade Target"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been looking for a third base upgrade this offseason. However, they have lost out<\/a> on two of the biggest <\/span>names:<\/span> Kazuma Okamoto<\/a> and Eugenio Su\u00e1rez<\/a>. One trade target the Bucs have <\/span>been rumored<\/span> to be interested in is Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes<\/a>. <\/span>With the Astros re-acquiring Carlos Correa<\/a> at the 2025 trade deadline, they could <\/span>look to<\/span> move Paredes<\/a> before the start of spring training.<\/span> However, Paredes has become a divisive trade target among Pirates fans. Some think <\/span>he’s<\/span> a phenomenal fit, while others strongly disagree. So if the Pirates end up going after Isaac Paredes, what are the pros and cons of acquiring him?<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sep 19, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Isaac Paredes (15) prior to the game against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pros and Cons of an Isaac Paredes Trade for the Pirates<\/h2>\n

Pro: Paredes Has Been a Consistently Good Hitter<\/span><\/h3>\n

Since becoming a regular at the MLB level in 2022, Paredes has never put up a wRC+ below 115. T<\/span>he<\/span> infielder missed part of 2025 due to a hamstring injury. <\/span>He <\/span>only<\/span> appeared in 108 games with 438 plate appearances, but <\/span>produced<\/span> strong numbers when on the field.<\/span> Paredes slashed .252\/.352\/.458 with a .353 wOBA, and 128 wRC+. He went yard 20 times with an isolated slugging percentage of .204.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Con: His Entire Value Comes from Hitting<\/span><\/h3>\n

Paredes is not a butcher at third base. <\/span>However,<\/span> he <\/span>hasn’t<\/span> graded out positively in both defensive runs saved and outs above average since 2022. Last year, he had -4 DRS and -3 OAA at the hot corner. <\/span>For his career, he has +1 DRS <\/span>with<\/span> -5 OAA.<\/span> <\/span>Paredes has experience at other infield positions<\/span>, <\/span>but<\/span> third base is where he is best suited, even if he does not bring much <\/span>in terms of<\/span> defense at that position.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pro: Excellent Plate Discipline<\/span><\/h3>\n

Paredes has never had a walk rate below 10% or a strikeout rate over 20% since 2022. He has excellent plate discipline. Last year, he had an 11.4% BB rate with a 17.4% K rate. Paredes chased outside the zone just 21.4% of the time, which was in the 94th percentile. His whiff rate of 16.4% was in the 89th percentile. <\/span>Paredes’<\/span> .254 batting average in 2025 was a career-best, so he makes up for it with a low K% and high BB%.<\/span><\/p>\n

Con: He D<\/span>oesn’t<\/span> Make Excellent Contact<\/span><\/h3>\n

While Paredes has excellent plate discipline, he <\/span>doesn’t<\/span> often make quality contact. He set a career-high in exit velocity at 87.4 MPH, but that was only in the 14th percentile of batters in 2025. His 6.3% barrel rate also nearly matched a career high (6.4%), but that was still in the 27th percentile. Paredes had an xwOBA on contact of just .328, which sat well below the league average of .369.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pro: Not a Rental, Not<\/span> Expensive<\/span><\/h3>\n

Paredes settled to avoid arbitration on Tuesday, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $9.35 million. <\/span>That’s<\/span> much less than what the Pirates put on the table for Eugenio Su\u00e1rez. On top of that, he does not become a free agent until after the 2027 season. If the Pirates acquire Paredes, <\/span>they’re<\/span> getting a solution at third base for the next two seasons.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Astros and Isaac Paredes avoided an arbitration hearing and settled at $9.35 million, source tells @TheAthletic<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 3, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n