There is no question about Pedro Alvarez's long-term role in Pittsburgh -- he basically has none with Josh Bell waiting in the wings in Altoona. Alvarez is only under team control through the 2016 season, and Bell could be in the majors by the middle of next season.
But the Pirates might not be able to wait that long. Alvarez is currently hitting for a .230/.298/.419 line in 295 plate appearances with the Pirates. His transition to first base has been poor, providing no defensive value. He's striking out a career low 24.4% of the time, and his walks are decent at 8.