Pirates Rumors: Could MLB.com trade deadline candidate be best fit for Pittsburgh?

The Pittsburgh Pirates are one of 22 – yes, 22 – teams that are still within striking distance of a playoff spot coming out of the All-Star break. With the trade deadline less than two weeks away, they have a brief window in which they can add a couple of pieces that can help them contend.

That said, given how many teams are still technically in the playoff race, there are likely only a handful that will be looking to become sellers at the deadline. With this in mind, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com compiled a list of 10 players who are likely to find themselves on new teams before the end of the month.

There are a few players on Feinsand's list who should pique the Pirates' interest, should they be looking to add. Arguably the Pirates' largest area of need is in the outfield, where All-Star Bryan Reynolds is their only source of offensive consistency. Oakland Athletics OF/DH Brent Rooker could be an intriguing option for Pittsburgh, especially considering he has three more years of club control.

Could Pirates make a move for Athletic slugger Brent Rooker at trade deadline?

Rooker is one year removed from an All-Star 2023 season in which he hit 30 home runs and notched 69 RBI. This season, he entered the All-Star break with 21 home runs and 62, posting a .942 OPS in 83 games. He's slashing .291/.369/.573, which would be a major boost to the Pirates' sputtering lineup.

Given that Rooker is still a controllable asset, the A's may be looking for a pretty sizable return in a trade. Oakland will want high-quality prospects, and Pittsburgh has plenty of them. In fact, the club may have a deep enough pipeline to allow them to trade for Rooker without even giving up one of their top five prospects.

If the Pirates can package enough pieces together to entice Oakland – and outbid their cross-state rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, who have also expressed interest in the 29-year-old – Rooker would be a game-changing addition.

More Pirates content from Rum Bunter