Pirates trade division rival's younger brother for intriguing lefty reliever

With less than 24 hours before the MLB trade deadline, the Pirates followed Monday afternoon's intriguing swap of top prospects (dealing Quinn Priester for Nick Yorke) with an addition to the bullpen.

Pittsburgh made a late-night wave by adding left-handed reliever Jalen Beeks from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for the Pirates' 24th-ranked prospect, per Baseball America, in Luis Peralta.

Pirates add rental southpaw with Rockies' Jalen Beeks

After signing a one-year deal with Colorado, Beeks has been a go-to reliever in the Rockies bullpen. In 49.1 innings pitched, Beeks has an earned run average of 4.74 with nine saves and 38 strikeouts. Opponents are batting .255 against him and his WHIP sits at 1.36.

Although his numbers look high, Statcast metrics say that they should be better. His expected earned run average sits at 3.63, and his expected batting average against sits at .235. Beeks also limits high exit velocities, as opponents' average exit velocity against him is 87 miles per hour, which is ranked in the 86th percentile.

Beeks brings four pitches, but primarily throws his fastball over 50% of the time. His fastball generates an expected batting average of .241 and sits around 92-93 miles per hour. His go to swing-and-miss pitch is his changeup, which generates a whiff percentage of 39.3%. His cutter and curveball are also pitches he uses, but not nearly as much as the others.

This addition to the bullpen helps the Pirates with their lack of left-handed relievers. Before acquiring Beeks, Aroldis Chapman was the only southpaw in the bullpen. Ryan Borucki was close to returning, but his rehab was halted.

The Pirates send Brewers ace Freddy Peralta's younger brother, Luis Peralta, in return.

Although Beeks was only a rental, the Pirates gave up a very solid prospect in return to the Rockies in Luis Peralta. Alongside a talented pitching staff in Altoona, Peralta was having a dominant season across two levels within the Pirates minor leagues.

This season, across two levels, Peralta posted an earned run average of 0.91 in 39.2 innings pitched and struck out 64 batters. His high strikeout rate also helped him limit opposing hitters to a batting average of .156.

Peralta was emerging as a solid arm in the organization, but is now being used to help the Pirates go on a run for the playoffs. A tough loss to the farm system, but the Pirates' abundance of pitching prospects allowed them to unload him.