Pittsburgh Pirates: DFA Candidates to Make Room for Trevor Cahill

Taking a look at players who the Pittbsurgh Pirates could designate for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for the newly signed Trevor Cahill

On Thursday night, the Pittsburgh Pirates added to their 2021 pitching staff. They did so by signing a veteran right-handed pitcher to a one-year MLB deal. This pitcher is 12-year MLB veteran Trevor Cahill.

With Cahill now in the fold on a MLB contract, the Pittsburgh Pirates will have to clear room on the 40-man roster for him. There are multiple options of who the Pirates could designate for assignment to make room for Cahill. Today, we will look at some of those options.

One of the first names that pops out as a DFA candidate is reliever Tyler Bashlor. Last season Bashlor posted an 8.64 ERA, 7.03 FIP and a 10.5% walk rate with the Pittsburgh Pirates after he was acquired from the New York Mets. In his career the right-handed reliever owns a 5.78 ERA, 6.30 FIP and a 12.0% walk rate in 62.1 innings pitched.

Also, Bashlor has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game this spring. This may indicate that the Pittsburgh Pirates do not have high expectations/hopes for Bashlor this season, thus making him a DFA candidate to make room for Cahill.

Right-handed pitcher Sean Poppen will also be a player to watch as a DFA candidate. Poppen was claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Twins earlier this offseason by the Pirates. In his MLB career, Poppen owns a 6.19 ERA, 3.33 FIP and 12.7% walk rate. Albeit, in just 16.0 innings pitched. This spring, Poppen owns a 9.00 ERA in 3.0 innings pitched.

Bashlor and Poppen are the two obvious answers to lose their 40-man roster spot to make room for Cahill. However, Bashlor and Poppen are the two players most likely tob e DFA’d. STay tuned here at Rum Bunter for all of the ltest with Cahill and the Pittsburgh Pirates.