Pittsburgh Pirates: Pitchers That Need to Come Off the 40-Man This Offseason

Miguel Yajure, Zach Thompson, Bryse Wilson

The Pittsburgh Pirates will be in dire need of finding starting pitching help this offseason. A big reason this is such a glaring need is due to the struggles and lack of development from Miguel Yajure, Zach Thompson, and Bryse Wilson.

Yajure, who was acquired in the Jameson Taillon trade, started the season in the Pirate bullpen and was, well, terrible. Yajure has had a few other MLB stints this season since then, but owns an 8.16 ERA, 5.78 FIP, 12.7% walk rate and an abysmal 5.6% strikeout rate in 14.1 innings pitched.

Overall in his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Yajure owns an 8.28 ERA, 7.17 FIP, 10.8% strikeout rate, and he’s allowed home runs at a woeful 2.15 HR/9 rate in 29.1 innings pitched. Yajure has struggled with health, his velocity has dropped, and he lacks the ability to miss bats. All of this has contributed to him owning a 6.09 ERA and a 4.60 FIP in 54.2 innings pitched in the minors this season. It could be time to take Yajure off the 40-man roster to help make room for other players.

Zach Thompson was acquired this past offseason in the Jacob Stallings trade. Prior to last season Thompson had not pitched at the major league level, never a good sign for an almost 29-year-old pitcher.

Thompson has struggled mightily this season posting a 5.33 ERA, 5.33 FIP, 8.9% walk rate and allowing 19 home runs in 104.1 innings pitched this season. Thompson does not miss bats at all, ranking in the bottom 10% of baseball in both strikeout and chase rate. These struggles have led to Thompson being removed from the starting rotation, and the 40-man roster could be next.

Few MLB starting pitchers have struggled more this season than Bryse Wilson. Wilson owns a 6.78 ERA as a starting pitcher this season, which is the 5th worst ERA among MLB pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched as a starting pitcher this season.

Between his work as a starter and a reliever, Wilson owns a 6.01 ERA, 5.19 FIP, 5.6% walk rate, and a 14.9% strikeout rate. His 43.5% hard hit rate allowed, opposing barrel rate of 7.6% and average opposing exit velocity of 91.3 MPH are all worse, and by a good bit, than league average.

Even though Wilson had a stretch during the summer where he strung a few quality starts together in a row, it does not change his long-term outlook. Wilson is back to struggling and does not have a long-term home with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wilson will continue to make starts in September and eat innings, but he needs removed from the 40-man roster this offseason.