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3 upcoming free agents the Pittsburgh Pirates should retain
The Pirates have three players who will hit free agency at the end of the season, but they should try and retain them for 2025.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have a handful of players who are going to hit free agency at the end of the season. Given their current situation in the short- and long-term, they should try and retain some of these players.
They need help for 2025, and some of the players they are losing will leave roster holes behind that will be hard to fill via internal options alone. While the Pirates could make offseason trades to help flesh out the roster, it would be easier if they went out and retained these free agents.
Pirates free agents Ben Cherington should retain for 2025
Rowdy Tellez
At one point this season, Rowdy Tellez looked more like an early-season release candidate than a "re-sign this offseason" candidate. At the end of May, Tellez had some horrid numbers, including a .175/.239/.222 triple-slash, .222 wOBA, and 31 wRC+. Tellez had a below-average 7.2% walk rate, an isolated slugging percentage clocking in at .048, and was striking out 23.2% of the time. In the month of May, Tellez had just six hits and a negative wRC+ of -20.
But Tellez performed a complete 180 starting in June. Over his last 191 plate appearances, Tellez is batting .305/.346/.529 with a .370 wOBA and 136 wRC+. He has gone on to hit nine home runs with an isolated slugging of .224. Tellez still has a mediocre 6.3% walk rate, but he's striking out less frequently with a 21.5% strikeout percentage.
Tellez has even started to hit left-handed pitching better. It is a microscopic sample size of just 21 plate appearances, but Tellez has a .278/.381/.667 triple-slash and 183 wRC+ vs left-handers. The Pirates, however, have mostly shielded him from facing lefty pitching, as he has 170 plate appearances vs right-handers since the start of June.
Tellez's defense has received mixed reviews. Defensive runs saved and outs above average both view him as a poor defender at -3 and -7, respectively. However, UZR/150 paints his glovework in a positive light at +5.9. This is typical for Tellez, who has consistently graded out as a bad defensive first baseman by DRS and OAA, but a solid one in the eyes of UZR/150.
Tellez signed a one-year deal worth $3.2 million. Something similar in the $3-$5 million range would definitely get the job done. With how well Tellez has hit against lefty pitching recently, the Pirates may be able to offer Tellez a full-time gig. 2025 will be his age-30 season. If it's possible, the Pirates should also include a team or player option for 2026.
Aroldis Chapman
Similarly to Tellez, many were chalking Aroldis Chapman up as a huge failure at the end of April. Chapman pitched nine innings in the first month of the year, allowing six earned runs. While he struck out 16, he also walked 12. Control has never been one of Chapman's strong suits, but at 36, many wondered if this was the start of the end of the Cuban Missile's MLB career.
However, Chapman has gotten his act together since then. His most recent 36.2 innings have yielded a quality 2.70 ERA, 3.45 FIP, and 1.23 WHIP. Walks are still an issue, as he has a 14.3% BB%, but he's struck out well over a third of opponents with a 37.3% K%. Batters haven't been able to collect many hits off of the veteran flamethrower, with a .177 batting average against. Chapman has also held opponents to a respectable 0.98 HR/9 rate.
Right now, the Pirates do not have any left-handed relievers who are under control through 2025. Chapman is arguably the second-best left-handed reliever on an expiring contract, behind Tanner Scott. At worst, he's the third best if the Atlanta Braves buy out Aaron Bummer, which seems highly unlikely.
Chapman signed a one-year deal worth $10.5 million this past off-season. Keep in mind that Chapman signed this after an even better season with the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers and pitched well in the Postseason en route to his second World Series ring. He could likely be had for an additional year at a lower rate.
Jalen Beeks
The Pirates acquired Jalen Beeks at the trade deadline from the Colorado Rockies for lefty relief prospect Luis Peralta. Beeks' numbers at the time of the trade were not all that impressive. He had just a 4.74 ERA, 4.36 FIP, and 1.36 WHIP through his first 49.1 innings. His 8.5% walk rate and 1.09 HR/9 were roughly league average, but he struck out fewer than 20% of his opponents, sporting an 18% K%.
Against the odds, Beeks has proven to be a solid pickup since arriving in Pittsburgh. He has only pitched seven innings of relief, but has allowed just a single earned run, struck out seven, and walked three. Beeks has maintained a barrel rate of 5% throughout this run with the Bucs.
The Pirates should try to retain Beeks for the same reasons they should try to retain Chapman. They do not have any lefty relievers controlled through this season on the 40-man roster. Plus the Pirates gave up a non-insignificant prospect to get Beeks. Peralta was ranked as a top 30 prospect in the Pirates' system by both FanGraphs and Baseball America at the time of the trade.
Beeks is 31 (2025 will be his age-32 season). He doesn't have the track record of Aroldis Chapman, nor the experience in high-leverage situations like his fellow teammate. However, he has seen more higher leverage situations this year. His average leverage index of 1.81 is the 21st highest among relievers with at least 40 innings pitched this season. He'll likely end up commanding less than Chapman, but either way, Beeks should be one of the players the Pirates re-sign this offseason.
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