Pittsburgh Pirates Set to Host Milwaukee Brewers as Roster Changes

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JULY 21: Manager Derek Shelton #17 of the Pittsburgh Pirates walks from the mound after a pitching change during the sixth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on July 21, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images) /

With their roster currently in a state of flux due to the upcoming trade deadline the Pittsburgh Pirates are set to start a series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night

All the buzz around the Pittsburgh Pirates the past two days has been about trades. With the Major League Baseball trade deadline just three days away, trades after started to take place across baseball. This has most certainly included the Pirates.

Sunday evening the Pittsburgh Pirates traded Adam Frazier to the San Diego Padres for a trio of prospects. Then on Monday evening, general manager Ben Cherington, somehow, managed to land a pair of promising top 30 prospects from the New York Yankees in exchange for reliever Clay Holmes. This may very well prove to be the second time in the last eight months that Cherington has fleeced the Yankees in a trade.

There were also reports on Monday that a pair of Pirate relievers are drawing great trade interest and are likely to be traded. Starting pitcher Tyler Anderson is also likely to be traded before Friday’s deadline.

While trade rumors have taken the forefront for the Pittsburgh Pirates and their fans there is still a three-game series that is set to kick off at PNC Park on Tuesday night. This series will be played against the National League Central leading Milwaukee Brewers. Putting all of the trade talk aside, what should fans be watching for in this series?

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JULY 20: Starting pitcher Tyler Anderson #31 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on July 20, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images) /

Will Tyler Anderson make his scheduled start?

The veteran lefty is scheduled to start for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of the series on Tuesday night. However, with trade rumors swirling around Anderson him making that start is no guaranteed thing.

All signs point toward the Pirates trading Anderson before Friday’s trade deadline. There is a real chance that Anderson will be traded prior to Tuesday night’s first pitch. Hell, by the time you read this article Anderson might be on the move. Even if Anderson is not traded before first pitch on Tuesday night, the Pirates may not start him in order to avoid risking injury.

On the season Anderson has posted a 4.35 ERA, 4.26 FIP, 5.8% walk rate, 20.0% strikeout rate and a home run rate of 1.39 HR/9. These results have come in 103.1 innings pitched across 18 starts this season.

Anderson will be traded before the end of the week. Due to this he may not make his scheduled start for the Pirates on Tuesday night. This situation will be one to watch throughout the day on Tuesday.

NEW YORK, NY – JULY 9: Kevin Newman #27 of the Pittsburgh Pirates talks to Ben Gamel #18 of the Pittsburgh Pirates as they warm up before taking on the New York Mets at Citi Field on July 9, 2021 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /

Who will be the new lead off hitter?

With Frazier traded to the Padres the Pittsburgh Pirates will now need to find a new lead off hitter. What options do the Pirates have at the top of their lineup? Well, they do not exactly have many options nor do they have strong options.

Kevin Newman has experience batting lead off, including this season, but Newman has a woeful .256 on-base percentage and 4.8% walk rate this season. Both of these numbers are terrible. For his career, Newman owns just a .304 OBP and a 5.3% walk rate. Neither of these numbers are that of a lead off man and both are diluted by a flash in the pan 2019 season in which Newman posted a .353 OBP and a 5.3% walk rate. Outside of 2019 Newman has never been a good on-base man in the Majors or in the minors.

Outfielder Ben Gamel could be a player to watch at the lead off spot as well. In 199 plate appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates this season Gamel owns a .333 OBP and a 10.1% walk rate. In 1599 career PAs Gamel owns a .331 OBP and a 9.3% walk rate. With his career on-base skills Gamel may prove to be the team’s best options for lead off in a post-Frazier world.

Derek Shelton could also look to go lead off by committee. On days he is in the lineup, especially against left-handed pitching, Wilmer Difo (.336 OBP, 8.2% walk rate) could bat lead off. There could also be a rotation of Newman, Gamel and Difo. Regardless of how it shakes out, Shelton is going to have a decision to make.

If only Travis Swaggerty were healthy…

NEW YORK, NY – JULY 10: Rodolfo Castro #64 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action against the New York Mets during the second game of a double header at Citi Field on July 10, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

Other roster moves are coming

Even if the Pittsburgh Pirates do not swing another trade before the end of this series, which seems unlikely, more roster moves need to be made. If nothing else, Frazier and Holmes will need to be replaced on the active roster.

The replacement for Frazier appears to be an easy decision. Rodolfo Castro should get the call to replace Frazier on the active roster. Hopefully, this will include Castro playing every day down the stretch for the Pirates.

With replacing Holmes thinks get trickier. Lefty Dillon Peters and righty Cody Ponce could be options to replace Holmes as both are on the 40-man roster. If either are healthy, Sam Howard or Chase De Jong could return from the IL as well.

Next. Pirates Trade Clay Holmes to the Yankees. dark

Max Kranick could also be re-added to the roster. Especially if the Pirates do find themselves in need of starting pitching help. No matter how things shake out it will be worth watching for Pirate fans.

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