3 salary dump candidates with potential the Pirates should pursue this offseason

The Pittsburgh Pirates need to make some impact trades this winter. One way they could lessen the heft of the package they would have to send in return in a trade for a big bat is by taking on a burdensome contract.

They probably would not (and should not) take on a large and underwater contract like Kris Bryant or Anthony Rendon, but there are some shorter-term deals out there they could easily absorb as part of a larger trade. That would allow them to add a decent player while limiting the package of prospects they have to send back.

3 burdensome contracts Pirates could absorb in trade this offseason

Chris Paddack

Chris Paddack made a great first impression back in 2019 with the San Diego Padres. Paddack pitched to a 3.33 ERA, 3.95 FIP, and 0.98 WHIP in 140.2 innings pitched in his rookie season. Paddack’s 26.9% K% paired nicely with his outstanding 5.5% walk rate. Paddack’s 2019 BB% still ranks as the 10th-lowest among rookies with at least 120 innings pitched over the last decade. Paddack’s 1.47 HR/9 was below average, but the number was posted during the peak of the juiced ball.

But Paddack has topped 100 innings just once since then. He’s thrown 283 innings with the Padres and Minnesota Twins over the last five seasons, and owns just a 4.90 ERA. Paddack still carries a strong 4.8% walk rate, but has seen a decrease in K% to 21.9%, and his HR/9 has remained at a mediocre 1.40-per-9 ratio. Paddack has decent underlying numbers, like a 3.83 xFIP and 3.97 SIERA, but they haven't led to the encore many expected after his great rookie campaign.

Luckily, it seems Paddack could greatly benefit from a full-time move to the bullpen. Opponents only hit .233/.280/.393 against Paddack when they face him the first time, but when they got a second look at him, they hit .268/.304/.483. To put it in perspective, that’s like comparing M.J. Melendez’s 2024 season to Jordan Wesburg’s ‘24 campaign. The former had just a 79 wRC+, while the latter had a 125 wRC+.

But neither the Padres nor the Twins have ever fully committed to trying Paddack in the bullpen. He has only made three bullpen appearances in his entire career. His stuff would likely play up in shorter appearances as well. On top of that, it may preserve his health, which is something that has plagued him throughout his career.

Paddack is slated to make $7.5 million in 2025, so the Pirates might be able to get him, along with another young player, in a deal with the Twins.

Wilmer Flores

Wilmer Flores is coming off the worst year of his career. In just 242 plate appearances, Flores batted a meager .206/.277/.318 with a .262 wOBA and 68 wRC+. Flores put up a respectable 8.3% walk rate and struck out just 13.6% of the time, but that’s about where the positives end. The veteran infielder hit just four home runs with a .112 isolated slugging percentage. His exit velocity was just 83.5 MPH.

Still, amid the disaster, reasons remain regarding why Flores could rebound. He is only a year removed from a career year in 2023, when he batted .284/.355/.509 in 454 plate appearances. Both his 23 home runs and .225 isolated slugging percentage were career-bests. Flores walked at a 9% rate with a 13.9% K%. This led to an outstanding .368 wOBA and 134 wRC+. He put up career-best numbers in nearly every statistic.

Another notable fact is that Flores has consistently been an average or better hitter throughout his career. 2024 marked the first time since 2015 that he had a sub-100 OPS+. From 2016 through 2023, he had eight straight seasons where he graded out as an above-average hitter, which is as many as Aaron Judge, Teoscar Hernández, and Xander Bogarts had in the 2010s.

Plus, Flores wasn’t healthy for most of the year. He only appeared in 71 games with 242 plate appearances. Flores dealt with knee issues during the summer, eventually leading to August surgery. It was just the second time since his first full campaign in 2015 that Flores played in fewer than 100 games (not including 2020).

Unsurprisingly, Flores picked up his player option, which was worth $3.5 million. He is only controlled through 2025, so he isn’t a long-term commitment. The Giants may look to cut down on payroll, and the Pirates might be able to acquire another player from the West Coast team at a discounted price if they’re willing to take on Flores’ remaining contract.

Wandy Peralta

The Pirates need some lefty reliever depth, and the San Diego Padres would probably be willing to trade Peralta to get his contract off the books. The Friars signed Peralta last offseason after a solid run with the New York Yankees. Between 2022 and 2023, Peralta put up a 2.77 ERA, 3.93 FIP, and 1.13 WHIP. His peripherals weren’t great, with a 21.3% K% and 10.4% walk rate, but he had a solid 0.73 HR/9 and a strong 5.7% barrel rate.

His first season in San Diego wasn’t nearly as good. Peralta had a 3.99 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, but a 5.46 FIP. Free passes became much less of an issue, as his BB% was just 8%, but Peralta saw his K% nosedive to just 13.6%. His HR/9 also took a turn for the worse, rising to 1.41. Peralta allowed far more hard contact, with his exit velocity spiking to 89.1 MPH (compared to 86.1 MPH in 2022-2023), while his barrel rate also jumped to 8.1%.

For what it’s worth, Peralta missed a good chunk of the season due to a left adductor strain, missing most of July and all of August. In total, he only tallied 38.1 innings. Peralta logged over 50 innings in his three prior seasons. He returned during the first week of September and pitched 4.1 scoreless frames to end the regular season. 

Peralta’s contract has an interesting set-up. He picked up his player option for 2025, which is worth $4.25 million, but he also has player options for each of 2026 and 2027 worth $4.45 million each. Peralta’s season probably wasn’t as good as the Padres were hoping for. If they are willing to include another, younger player with control remaining, or a prospect to get Peralta off their payroll, the Pirates should consider it. He could be a solid middle-inning lefty - and with Joey Wentz currently occupying the only left-handed role in Pittsburgh's bullpen following the formal departure of Aroldis Chapman, that's a vacancy the Pirates need to creatively fill.