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Pittsburgh Pirates Rumor Mill – all eyes on Huntington

By Tyler Waite |
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Yes, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the rest of baseball, today is the day. It’s finally July 31st, the non-waiver trade deadline, and to say anything could happen would be putting it lightly. We’ve seen so many big names get moved, from David Price to Cole Hamels to Carlos Gomez. So far for the Pirates, the trading season has been a quiet but effective one. Aramis Ramirez filled a hole left by Josh Harrison at third base. Joe Blanton seems to be a slight improvement (hopefully) over Vance Worley and is a veteran with over 40 innings of postseason experience. And Joakim Soria makes the Pirates’ bullpen even more deadly and possibly one of the best in the game.

If you’re new to the Rumor Mill, you’re in luck. Every week during this segment we break down the latest trade rumors, transactions, signings, promotions, demotions, and roster moves, among other news and notes. This week, we’re going to tackle things a little differently. We’re focusing strictly on rumors and everything that you need to know for today’s trade deadline. First, let’s break down the remaining holes that the Pirates could address before 4 PM.

1st Base

While he’s added some power and run production this year, Pedro Alvarez has still managed to be a negative win player for the season. That’s due to his 81-to-29 strikeout to walk ratio and his horrid defense at first, as evidenced by his league-leading 15 errors at first base this season. The only thing is, no one wants Alvarez. And the only good first base options potentially available (Adam Lind and Mitch Moreland are two options) are lefties, so what do you do with Pedro if you get a lefty first baseman? There’s the thought that management won’t DFA him, so does he become a bench bat? Or do you pursue a right-handed first base bat like Mike Napoli who you can get for cheap and hope that he mashes lefties? It’s a difficult position to fill at this point in time, but I’m sure Huntington has asked around.

Next, let’s take a look at the current state of the Pirates starters.

Next: Pirates rotation: Top heavy or nah?

Jul 25, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher A.J. Burnett (34) reacts in the dugout against the Washington Nationals during the fourth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Starting Pitcher

Yes, I’ve harped incessantly via articles and podcasts and twitter about how the Pirates should pursue a starting pitcher. But I believe it to my core that getting an effective starting pitcher could prove the difference between a one-game Wild Card berth against Madison Bumgarner and a five-game series with Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano, and A.J. Burnett (plus said pitcher potentially) or a trip to the World Series. Huntington has definitely looked into a starter, but right now, it seems like the price for one might be out of his range.

Of course the Pirates want to get a starting pitcher. Jeff Locke and Charlie Morton are what they are: average to below-average number five starters. Locke is a lefty, and throws the rare fantastic start, but that’s about all. And Morton has fallen not so gracefully back to earth after a stellar start to his year. The biggest concern of all, however, has to be the sudden drop-off of Burnett after the All-Star break, who has allowed at least five runs in his last three starts and now has an ERA over 3.00 and a WHIP north of 1.30. And we all know his poor postseason history. Who knows if Huntington is just doing his GM thing by saying he can’t acquire a pitcher, hoping the price for one will drop. I sure hope so, but only time will tell.

From one strength to a potential weakness, let’s next look at the Pirates bench.

Next: The next men up

Jun 28, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez (16) hits a double in the seventh inning during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Bench Bat

With the injuries to Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer, the Pirates not only weakened their starting lineup but, in turn, weakened their bench as well. They added Aramis Ramirez to help combat this, but Sean Rodriguez, Pedro Florimon, and Travis Ishikawa aren’t ideal options off the bench for a contending team. The Pirates could add a utility infielder for cheap, and many external options out there would be better than Rodriguez and Florimon. We’ve seen the Pirates connected to Ben Zobrist and a few Diamonbacks infielders, so I could see the team adding a bench bat for cheap tomorrow.

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Gregory Polanco has been hot this month, but still has a .179 average against lefties this season. The team could add an outfielder to platoon with Polanco for the rest of the season, which would also improve the bench. An outfielder would probably be more expensive than an infielder, but there are some available out there.

So these are the Pirates’ needs heading into Friday. They could also add another reliever, but that’s probably not a priority anymore with the addition of Soria. There were very few rumors, if any, connecting the Pirates to the three players they added so far, and all seems to be quiet right now. But Huntington could strike at any moment. Will he remain quiet like he has the last two years at the non-waiver deadline, or will he make a deadline-day move? Next, we will take a look at some of the latest rumors and potential players available.

Next: The starting pitching market

Jul 23, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Tyson Ross (38) pitches during the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Starting pitching market

We already know that Huntington said he doesn’t feel that he can add a starting pitcher, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to. The Padres could be the team to watch tomorrow. Bob Nightengale of USA Today had this to say about Tyson Ross:

The Cubs have been awfully quiet so far, so I believe they’ll add a starter at some point tomorrow. Ross is the perfect type of pitcher the Pirates should target: young, cheap salary, and under control for multiple years. But that also means he could cost a lot. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports also laid out the main contenders for Rangers’ starter Yovani Gallardo, who is a rental player with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP this year. With the big-name starters already off the table, many teams will be competing for Gallardo, who has been a very consistent number-three type starter throughout his career. Gallardo is making $14 million this year, and I don’t see the Pirates pursuing him.

There are some other pitchers to keep an eye on who have an outside shot of being on the move tomorrow. Dan Haren seems like the perfect candidate for the Pirates, who has a 3.42 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP and is making $10 million this season. He’s also a rental, and it would be in Miami’s best interest to get something for him for this reason. James Shields could also be on the move. Shields more than likely won’t go, but the Padres will be in full sell mode, so you never know what could happen.

Jeff Samardzija seemed like a good candidate to be traded, but the White Sox don’t seem to be sellers anymore, so any chance at acquiring him is probably gone.

The Pirates have already done a fantasic job shoring up their bullpen, but just for kicks let’s take a look at what’s left on the reliever market.

Next: The market for bullpen help

Jul 24, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Jake McGee (57) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Relief Market

The Rays have been mentioned as a team that could trade some relievers, including Brad Boxberger, who has a 3.02 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP this year, and Kevin Jepsen, who has a 2.81 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP this season. Boxberger would be a rental, while Jepsen has one more year of arbitration eligibility remaining. We know Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel will be big names potentially on the move tomorrow, but if the Pirates make a move for another relief pitcher, it won’t be for a closer. They already did that with the addition of Soria. Francisco Rodriguez of the Brewers and Joaquin Benoit also have an outside shot of being moved. It’s shaping up to be closers on the move tomorrow, but there are so many middle relievers that could be available out there as well. Maybe John Holdzkom will be an internal addition to the Pirate pen later in the season. Also:

Shawn Kelley: 3.19 ERA, 1.12 WHIP in middle relief this year and is a free agent after the season.

Let’s land this plane. Next we take a look at the market for a bench bat and give you a final prediction.

Next: Bench Bats and Predictions

Jul 24, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Cincinnati Reds left fielder Marlon Byrd (9) rounds second on a triple in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Bench Bat Market

Just like middle relievers, there will always be bench bats available. Marlon Byrd is a name that makes sense, as he has 17 home runs and 37 RBIs this year as well as an .879 OPS against lefties this year. He could be platooned with Polanco, and would be a great fourth outfielder for the Pirates. However, he’s owed $8 million not only for this season but for next as well. That could be a factor.

Cliff Pennington of the Diamondbacks could also be in play. While he’s only batting .238 this year, he would be a reliable infield depth option and has been a positive win player every year since 2010. He typically plays superb defense, and may not cost a lot. He’d be an upgrade over Florimon offensively in the middle of the field.

There will definitely be multiple outfield options that could be an improvement over Jaff Decker, who doesn’t have much major league experience.

Prediction

It’s going to be an exciting day today for the Pittsburgh Pirates, as July 31st always is. Neal Huntington is a smart GM, and while he didn’t make any moves last year, he’s already made three this year. He can still add without giving up major prospects while improving the team. If I had to pick one name I wanted tomorrow, it’d be Tyson Ross, but I don’t think that happens (at least not for the Pirates). If I had to conservatively predict what the Pirates do tomorrow, I’d say they add an infield depth option and an outfield depth option. If I had to make a bold prediction, I’d say they get Tyson Ross or Jeff Samardzija. Or maybe they get a big name tomorrow that no one’s talking about…

What do you guys think happens today? Let us know in the comments below or tweet at us on twitter @rumbunter. Thanks for tuning into our weekly Pirates Rumor Mill, which we’ll continue to run at least through the waiver trade deadline at the end of August. Here’s hoping that Huntington does what’s best for this team moving forward.

Next: Pittsburgh Pirates bolster pen, acquire Joakim Soria from Tigers

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