Pirates trade deadline acquisition ranks dead last on productivity list

It's no secret that Bryan De La Cruz has underperformed for the Pittsburgh Pirates since they acquired him from the Miami Marlins at this year's MLB trade deadline. In his first 39 games with Pittsburgh, he slashed an abysmal .197/.209/.275 with just two home runs and an appallingly high strikeout rate of 29.7%.

For a player expected to be an impact bat in the middle of the lineup, De La Cruz has been a major disappointment for the Pirates. The trade hasn't looked good, and from a league-wide perspective, it somehow looks even worse.

In a recent ranking of all of the position players traded at or near this year's trade deadline based on WAR (Wins Above Replacement) since Aug. 1, De La Cruz ranks 35th ... out of 35. His WAR is -1.1, meaning not only has he failed to make the Pirates better; he has actively made them worse.

Pirates fans can perhaps take a sliver of solace in the fact that Pittsburgh broke even with the acquisition of Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who has a WAR of 0.0 in 42 games since Aug. 1. Even better, Billy Cook has a WAR of 0.1 through his fist eight Major League games. Still, it doesn't make up for the embarrassment that has been De La Cruz.

Pirates likely to show patience with Bryan De La Cruz despite early struggles

Even despite the disastrous start to his Pirates tenure, De La Cruz probably isn't going anywhere this offseason. We already know that general manager Ben Cherington isn't going to go out and spend big money on a power bat in free agency this winter, even if it is a glaring need, so the Pirates are likely going to continue to bet on De La Cruz's upside while ignoring his actual production (or lack thereof).

In other words, fans should get used to seeing De La Cruz in the Pirates' lineup for the foreseeable future. He's young, he's cheap, and he's under club control through 2027. And so what if he can't hit? If anything, he'll fit right in.

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