Pittsburgh Pirates Rumor Mill – all eyes on Huntington

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