Pittsburgh Pirates: 3 Potential Left-Handed Relief Targets

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Pittsburgh Pirates Target Diekman
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Jake Diekman

Jake Diekman
Age 31
Controlled through 2018
Money Left $904,166.67
Year Innings ERA K% BB% GB%
Last Three Years 99.3 3.26 27.0% 13.2% 48.0%
2018 35.7 3.28 26.8% 12.7% 45.2%
Rest of Season Projection 21.0 3.77 25.6% 12.2%

Diekman was part of the Cole Hamels to Texas deal at the 2015 deadline.  The now 31-year-old is in his last year of club control, and he will hit free agency at season’s end.  Despite this, his name hasn’t really come up in trade rumors so far this season.

Diekman has been effective coming out of the bullpen the last three years, and he gets groundballs, something that always intrigues the Pirates.  This year lefties have a .365 wOBA compared to righties having a .272 wOBA.  Over the last three seasons, lefties have a .308 wOBA and righties a .264 wOBA.

Diekman is effective against batters of both sides, which would make him more intriguing to the Pirates since they don’t believe in LOOGY’s.  This would represent a nice upgrade to the bullpen over Brault and would allow the Pirates to play some matchups with the backend of their bullpen.