The Pirates are scouting Marlins outfielder , . Pittsburgh is also known to be on center fielder/second baseman , though theres no indication theyve progre sed in trade talks. De La Cruz, 27, has been a regular in the Miami outfield for the past three seasons. He has hit around a league average level, showing solid power with middling on-base skills. This year has been no exception. De La Cruz has 17 home runs and should surpa s the 20-homer threshold for the first time in his career. Hes not getting on base consistently, though. De La Cruz is striking out at an elevated 26% rate while Diego Cartaya Jersey drawing walks just 5.5% of the time. Hes hitting .241/.285/.410 acro s 439 plate appearances overall. Thats not really the level of offensive output expected of a corner outfielder. While De La Cruz has some experience in center field, he has played exclusively in the corners or at designated hitter this season. Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average are each bearish on his defensive profile, especially regarding his left field work. FanGraphs and Baseball Reference have each graded him around replacement level. The Bucs could view him as a buy-low target based on his decent exit velocities. Craig Mish wrote in the Miami Herald earlier this month that the Marlins were unlikely to deal De La Cruz (and outfield mate ), reasoning theyd be selling low on both players. The Fish wouldnt take either off the table, however, so the Bucs could certainly make a push for De La Cruz if they feel hed represent a notable upgrade. Pittsburgh needs offense in general and could look for outfield help specifically. Their biggest need is probably in center field, where the combination of and has fallen flat. De La Cruz wouldnt addre s that, but Pittsburgh has also had one of the least productive right field groups in MLB. Theyve given a decent amount of time there to , a broadly similar player to De La Cruz. Hes also a right-handed hitter with some intriguing physical tools but limited on-base ability. Olivares is hitting .224/.291/.333 over 55 games, leading the Bucs to option him to Triple-A shortly before the All-Star Break. Theyve used a / platoon there in recent weeks. De La Cruz has yet to reach arbitration and is playing for slightly more than the league minimum. Hell be eligible for arbitration next winter and is on track to hit free agency after the 2027 campaign (barring an earlier non-tender). Emmet Sheehan Jersey