Pittsburgh Pirates Trade Candidate: Starting Pitcher Mike Leake

The Pittsburgh Pirates could take a move out of the Giants playbook, and acquire a useful player, while also getting a young prospect in the trade. Mike Leake could be one of those players.

Most of the starting pitching acquisition targets we name on here are innings eater types starters. Usually they pitch 180+ innings a season and while they’re not garnering any Cy Young votes, they are some of the most durable starters in the Majors. One of the most durable starters of the entire decade is right-handed starter Mike Leake.

Last season, Leake pitched a total of 197 innings (137 innings with the Mariners, 60 innings with the D-Backs), putting up pedestrian numbers. He posted a 4.29/5.19 ERA/FIP. He did post a solid 1.29 WHIP. Leake is a master of control. Since 2016, he has averaged 1.5 walks per 9, and a 3.91 K/BB ratio. He hasn’t posted a BB/9 above 2 since 2015. Last season, he had a 1.2 BB/9.

Mike did struggle with home runs, giving up 41(!) in 2019. Usually, home runs haven’t been that big of an issue for Leake, having a 1.0 HR/9 from ‘13-’18. But with the juiced ball being even more prominent in 2019, we could chalk up some of the 41 home runs to the modified baseball. Speaking that home runs were the only thing Leake struggled with in 2019, it’s a fairly safe bet he will bounce back.

Leake is the definition of durable. Since 2012, he has started at least 30 games each season, and his lowest single season innings pitched total is 176. Only twice has he pitched in less than 180 innings since ‘12. Leake has pitched the 11th most innings in the MLB since the decade started (1829 innings).

Leake is owed $11 million in 2020 ($4 million of his $15 million is being paid by the St. Louis Cardinals). The Pirates could pull a similar trade here like what the San Francisco Giants did with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Giants took on the entirety of Zack Cozart’s contract from the Angels (owed $12.6 million in 2020), but in exchange, the Angels had to throw in a prospect. The prospect the Giants acquired was the 15th overall pick in the 2019 MLB draft, Will Wilson. Essentially, the Giants ‘bought’ a prospect from the Angels.

Leake could be just a spare starter for the Diamondbacks in 2020. The D-Backs signed former Giants’ ace and World Series hero Madison Bumgarner to go along with youngsters Luke Weaver, Zac Gallen, Alex Young, and stalwarts Robbie Ray and Merrill Kelly. That also isn’t accounting for near major league ready prospects Jon Duplantier, J.B. Bukakas, and Corbin Martin when he eventually returns from Tommy John Surgery. Plus, with Ray, outfielder David Peralta, and defensive standout shortstop Nick Ahmed approaching free agency, the team could use the money they save from trading Leake toward an extension.

If the Pirates take on all of Leake’s contract, they could reel in one of the Diamondbacks top organizational prospects. One name I would look into is Luis Frias. He is currently ranked as the team’s 15th best prospect. Last year, Frias broke out between Low-A and Mid-A ball. Overall, he pitched to a 2.83 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, struck out 101 batters in 76 innings, and gave up 1 home run. He is currently 21 years old, and projected to be MLB ready by 2022.

If the Pirates were to ask for a more MLB ready piece, I would ask about Kevin Cron. The corner infielder obliterated pitching at the Triple-A level. He hit for a .331/.449/.777 line, and hit 38 home runs in just 377 PA’s. While that is a career high by a fair margin for Cron, he can still be relied upon to hit 20-30 home runs. He is a bit old for a prospect, being 26 years of age, but Cron could provide the right-handed platoon the Pirates need to put with Colin Moran and/or Jose Osuna.

Currently, the Pirates’ payroll is just the slightest bit above $60 million. More than likely, that amount will go down since Starling Marte has been heavily rumored to be traded. They have some payroll flexibility, and acquiring Leake would do two things. They could acquire a starter who can give them 190 innings in 2020, and could be a bounce back candidate, while bringing in a young player who could help their future plans. A rebuilding team such as the Pirates should be making trades like this more often, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they were interested in taking on not-so-great contracts so they could bolster their farm system, while improving their MLB roster.