PITTSBURGH — It's the position most frequently identified with the Pirates, the result of the greatness displayed by Roberto Clemente, as well as Paul Waner and Dave Parker.

Right field has also suddenly become an even bigger question mark relative to the current team after the Pirates non-tendered Bryan De La Cruz and Connor Joe last week.

The Pirates did that because the projected salaries they'd earn via arbitration outweigh projected production for De La Cruz and Joe in 2025. It made sense, though trading ranked prospects — pitcher Jun-Seok Shim and infielder Garret Forrester — for De La Cruz at the deadline now looks even worse.

I also don't care. As important as anything for the Pirates in 2025, they have to obtain an actual right fielder and generate even marginal offensive production out of that spot.

How bad were Pirates right fielders offensively in 2024? Some numbers:

— A total of 12 players made at least one appearance there. Edward Oliveras (45) led the way ... and he was designated for assignment on Aug. 7. (Worse, Oliveras played his last game in Pittsburgh a month earlier.) That's the fewest number of games played for any position on the Pirates roster in 2024, a nod to how much of a revolving door it became.

— Pirates right fielders combined to produce minus-2.2 wins above replacement, per Fangraphs. That was twice as bad as the second-worst position (center field) and ranked 29th when looked at teams' right-field productivity across Major League Baseball.

— The Pirates were also 29th when it came to home runs (11), OPS (.614) and wRC+ (71) from that spot.

So, yeah, it was obviously time for a change. The question now shifts to what the Pirates should do.

There are a few options. This is also a place where the Pirates would be wise to redirect some of the money they've saved on Paul Skenes and the rest of a young pitching staff.

Looking strictly at free agency, there are several right field options available, and my top three using this avenue include Tyler O'Neill, Michael Conforto and Max Kepler.

O'Neill, a former Cardinal, hit 31 homers in 113 games with the Boston Red Sox, knows the division well and has a career wRC+ of 116 (100 is considered average).

MLB Trade Rumors projected O'Neill to sign a contract of three years, $42 million, which would represent an important statement for the Pirates, showing their fans they're serious.

If it's not O'Neill, the other two would be viable options. And vast improvements over De La Cruz (wRC+ of 37 with Pirates) and Joe, who hit just .180 over his final 73 games (not that it took him out of the running to hit cleanup).

Kepler fits a lot of boxes the Pirates typically try to check: connections to someone in the organization (manager Derek Shelton), as well as a player coming off a down year who might use the playing time in Pittsburgh to prove himself (and thus offer the Pirates a discount).

In 105 games with the Twins last year, Kepler hit just .253 with a .682 OPS. That second number dropped from .816 in 2023, while his number of home runs went from 24 to eight. At the same time, Kepler has a career OPS of .746 and five times has hit 19 or more homers.

There could be real value here with Kepler, and a so-so year could offer another ingredient the Pirates must remember in figuring out what to do at this position: creating a way to save Jack Suwinski.

Yes, seriously.

I know the frustration that exists over Suwinski, who hit just .182 in 2024 and struck out 79 times in 277 plate appearances (28.5%). I also know he's only 26 and was arguably the most negatively impacted by the Pirates' silly, team-wide philosophy that everybody should work deep in counts.

You don't hit 26 homers in a season or 45 in your first two — six fewer than Ralph Kiner, by the way — by accident.

New hitting coach Matt Hague must get Suwinski to simplify things, and the Pirates need to remain prepared with potential playing time if that occurs.

One option would be folding Kepler into a four-man outfield, as well as doing some different things with Bryan Reynolds or Oneil Cruz.

The third option the Pirates should consider is Conforto, who's kind of a blend between the two.

Conforto's 2024 season included 20 homers and .759 OPS, but it was a wild ride getting there — .821 before an injured hamstring in May, a terrible June and July (.589 OPS) before finishing with 10 homers and an .859 OPS over his final 45 games.

If Conforto is healthy, he's historically been a productive player, as evidenced by his career wRC+ (again, 100 is considered average) of 119.

MLB Trade Rumors projected a potential free agent deal for Conforto at two years, $18 million. That's hugely doable for the Pirates. His career defensive numbers aren't great, but much of the damage stems from the Mets trying to shoehorn Conforto into center field.

Bottom line, the Pirates non-tendering De La Cruz and Joe offered a refreshing break with mediocrity, a chance to do something a little different and address a spot that has been a glaring weak spot.

Now, we just need them to actually do it.

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