A look at the Pittsburgh Pirates’ September reinforcements

Jul 29, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Jaff Decker (14) rounds third and scores in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Jaff Decker

Jaff Decker finds himself with a total of 28 major-league games under his belt as he has yet another cup of coffee with the Pirates. To label his performance as ‘nondescript’ would be generous, as you’ll see below:

Since Decker has not yet had a memorable moment at the plate, we should give him his due from his one shining moment on the mound.

How he can help – Despite his lack of MLB success, Decker has a .733 OPS with Triple-A Indianapolis this year. He boasts a low strikeout rate at 14.3% and can give the Pirates an attractive late-inning pinch runner option with his 18 stolen bases. Decker is solid in the field and can play all three outfield positions

How he can hurt – Even after picking out the positives, there is still not a whole lot to like offensively here. Decker went 2-for-14 with the club in 2015 but did score five runs. Considering that Sean Rodriguez, Snider, Josh Harrison, and Ishikawa can all play in the outfield, I would be more than surprised to see Decker get even one start in September. Thusly, he may not hurt the team at all.

It is truly the mark of a good team when your September additions are more likely to be inconsequential at best. Aside from Snider and Liz, the other names on this list may not even play any factor in September. This is one of the deepest teams in recent Pittsburgh Pirates history, and the lack of a big-name call-up reflects that.

What do YOU think? Will any of these players hurt the Pirates more than they might help?  Let us know in the comments or on social media!

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