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4 rentals the Pittsburgh Pirates should look to acquire at MLB Trade Deadline
The Pirates don't need team control.
The Pirates are officially a .500 team again after a four-game win streak heading into the All-Star break. This hot streak has gotten them within a game and a half of an NL Wild Card spot, and within six and a half games of the division lead. Their hot stretch of games has them right back at the top of the hunt.
They are establishing themseleves as a playoff team, but to get to the postseason, they need to add to the roster. The outfield is a huge need for the Pirates, and their main target would be an outfielder with control. If the price isn't to their liking in this sellers' market, though, they might have to look among the rentals for an outfielder (and possibly more). These four rentals represent meaningful upgrades the Pirates should consider.
MLB Trade Deadline: What rental players should be on the Pirates' trade radar?
Tanner Scott, Left-Handed Pitcher
There is plenty of speculation that the Pirates are going to trade Aroldis Chapman, which will leave a gap of left-handed relievers in the Pittsburgh bullpen. They have Ryan Borucki nearing a completion of his rehab assignment, but another high-leverage southpaw should be necessary with the departure of Chapman (and one with a lower salary).
Tanner Scott is one of the biggest names on the trade market, but the Pirates are now 48-48, so this could influence them to go all in on the southpaw reliever. Although he would be expensive, Pittsburgh has the prospect capital to get the deal complete. Scott is owed a pro-rated portion of his 2024 contract, which represents about half of Chapman's remaining cost ($5.7 million vs. $10.5 million).
This season, Scott has 6-5 record with an earned run average of 1.34 in 40.1 innings pitched and has struck out 45 batters. Opponents are batting just .130 against him and his WHIP sits at 1.07. He does struggle with walks from time to time.
Scott has just two pitches and they are excellent. His fastball sits around 96-97 miles per hour, while hitters have an expected batting average of just .166 against it. His slider has 36.4 inches of drop with an expected batting average of .216 against it.
Overall, Scott would make a good bullpen better. Another reliable high leverage reliever will help a postseason push for the Pirates.
Carson Kelly, Catcher
The catching group in Pittsburgh this season has been poor, aside from Joey Bart. One issue with that is Bart cannot catch everyday, but the Bucs have issues behind the plate without him. Yasmani Grandal in particular has not been good, so the Pirates need to improve behind the plate.
One catcher they should look to fix this hole on the roster is Carson Kelly from the Detroit Tigers. Kelly is having one of the best seasons of his career, but will be a free agent after the season. Not only is he an offensive upgrade, but he also provides better defense than Grandal or Bart.
This season, Kelly has a batting average of .247 with seven home runs and 29 runs batted in. He also has an OPS of .736, which includes an on-base percentage of .326 and a slugging percentage of .410. His wRC+ sits at 110 and his strikeout percentage sits at 19.8%.
Along with his solid offensive numbers, Kelly has saved four defensive runs behind the plate. His blocks above average total ranks in the 94th percentile, and his caught stealing above average mark ranks in the 95th percentile. His framing is average, but nonetheless, he has been a great catcher.
Although this is not a long-term commitment, Kelly should definitely be a front-line choice for the Pirates at catcher. They have Endy Rodriguez returning in 2025, so getting a rental replacement for Grandal makes a lot of sense.
Jesse Winker, Outfielder
Aside from Bryan Reynolds, the Pirates' outfield has not been good. Josh Palacios has looked good in small samples, and Jack Suwinski has gotten better, but that still is not enough. Pittsburgh desperately needs a consistent outfielder to get them to the postseason.
Although the Pirates are definitely in the market for a player with control, it is not a gurantee that they will land one. If it does not work out, they could go with Jesse Winker for two reasons. He would provide a solid left-handed bat to the lineup, and a strong stay could increase hopes of re-signing him in the offseason to a multiple-year contract with moderate value attached.
This season, Winker has a batting average of .260 with 11 home runs and 43 runs batted in. He also has an OPS of .806, which includes an on-base percentage of .374 and a slugging percentage of .432. His wRC+ is at 130 and his strikeout percentage is at 22.3%.
His defense is not great in the corner spots, but his bat makes up for it with an fWAR of 1.3. This rental would be a big-time boost to the lineup and would come at a relatively cheap price.
Mark Canha, First Baseman/UTIL
At the beginning of the year, many fans believed the Pirates needed to find a left-handed replacement for Rowdy Tellez, but now he is one of the better hitters on the team. Connor Joe got off to an excellent start to the season, but has cooled off, and might require an upgrade.
That first base platoon has not been great, but generally it has not been as bad as advertised. The Pirates could decide to do something differently, though, by acquiring another first baseman in Mark Canha. He could platoon with Tellez and make Joe a primarily platoon right fielder with Jack Suwinski or Josh Palacios.
This season, Canha has a batting average of .228 with six home runs and 34 runs batted in. He also has an OPS of .676, which includes an on-base percentage of .334 and a slugging percentage of .341. His wRC+ is at 96 and his strikeout percentage is at 19.1%. His offense has not necessarily been good or an improvement on the Pirates' current offering across the board, but he is excellent against left-handed pitching. His wRC+ against southpaws is 145. This platoon could be perfect for the Pirates.
He also provides solid defense at first base with an outs above average of one. Overall, this could be a decent pickup in hopes of him staying consistent against left-handers.
Any of these rentals could help the Pirates improve. All four of these players fill positions of need, but they may not be at the top of anyone's wish list. The trade deadline is still just over two weeks away, which means the clock is ticking for players to get moved. Put it this way: the smart teams will be after marginal upgrades, and that means the Pirates should be, too.
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