Pittsburgh Pirates: Four Chris Stratton Trades With Values

Baseball Trade Values is a popular site to create mock trades. Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed reliever Chris Stratton could be on the trading block once the lockout ends, so what are some trades the site likes?

One site that has gotten popular among the baseball community is Baseball Trade Values. The site assigns values to players, and fans can make mock trades between teams. Teams can send major leaguers, prospects, or cash. Once a user makes up a mock trade scenario, they can post it to the trade board and let the community voice their opinion by showing their approval or disapproval for each team’s return through a thumbs up/down voting system or leaving a comment.

Given how active the Pittsburgh Pirates have been in trades over the past two years, they’ve been thrown through mock trades on this site many, many times. Today, I want to take a look at a few interesting trades that Baseball Trade Values approves of. The Pirates could still make some trades post-lockout, so what are some swaps involving right-handed reliever Chris Stratton that they think are fair?

Before we look at the first proposal, let’s look at Chris Stratton himself. The Pirates acquired the former first-round pick when they purchased his contract from the Los Angeles Angels. Since being acquired, Stratton has pitched to the tune of a 3.69 ERA, 3.76 FIP, and 1.33 WHIP in 156 innings of work. This has also come with a 25.7% strikeout rate, 9.1% walk rate, and 1.10 HR/9.

Last year, he pitched in 79.1 innings while having a 3.63 ERA, 3.76 FIP, and 1.3 WHIP. He struck out just over a quarter of batters faced (25.5%) while having a workable walk rate (9.8%) and home run rate (1.02). While none of Stratton’s performances may jump off the page, he’s pretty much average or better in everything he does. Plus, he has one of the highest spin fastballs and curveballs in baseball.

Stratton isn’t necessarily young as 2022 will be his age-31 season, and he only has two years of control remaining. The Pirates could potentially look to explore a trade involving the reliever given the circumstances and that he’d fit almost any bullpen. Stratton has a value of 0.7 on Baseball Trade Values.

As with anything revolving around trade value, it’s very subjective. One team might be more willing to give up more because they lack relief pitching depth, while a team with relief depth will be less willing to give up a prospect of note. Given that it doesn’t adjust for what a team might value or need, or what the Pittsburgh Pirates are actively looking for, or need to bolster, don’t take these trade values past face value.