Pittsburgh Pirates Rumors: Six Players Garnering Trade Interest Ahead of Deadline

The Pittsburgh Pirates could be busy in the hours leading up to today's MLB trade deadline

The 2023 Major League Baseball trade deadline is just a few hours away. With the trade deadline set for 6 PM ET on Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the rest of baseball are working toward making their final potential moves to help improve their teams both now and for the future.

Thus far, the Pirates, who have become sellers, have made just one trade. That trade was sending veteran first baseman Carlos Santana to their divisional rival Milwaukee Brewers. Could more moves be on the way for the Pirates?

According to MLB Network's Jon Heyman, six Pirate players continue to garner interest on the trade market. Heyman also makes it sound as if the Pirates have trade offers on the table for at least two of their veterans, starting pitcher Rich Hill and catcher Austin Hedges.

If the Pirates receive a strong offer for Hill then the pending free agent will almost certainly be moved. With the current poor state of the Pirate starting rotation Hill is not a player you move just to move, someone needs to pitch innings and make starts the rest of the season for the Bucs. However, if Cherington receives an offer he perceives to be strong Hill will be moves.

As for Hedges, if there is any offer whatsoever on the table for him he should be a slam dunk to be moved. Endy Rodriguez has become the team's starting catcher and Cherington was likely foreshadowing some when he said we could see Henry Davis catch more after the trade deadline.

As for the other four players mentioned by Heyman, it seems less likely that they're moved. Ji Man Choi would be the most likely member of this group to be moved. He is a pending free agent who has swung a hot bat with a ton of power since coming off the injured list in mid-July and would be a big boost to a team in need of a left-handed bat. That said, the Pirates need someone to play first base and could be interested in attempting to work out a new contract with Choi to keep him in Pittsburgh next season.

David Bednar being moved seems very unlikely. If a team were to blow Cherington away with an offer the reliever would be on the move, but the odds of that offer coming do not seem high. Mitch Keller is in a similar boat. The offer to land Keller would not need to be as big as that to land Bednar, and it would not be a shocker to see Keller moved, but it still seems unlikely.

As for Colin Holderman, he's one of the more intriguing names that has been popping up in recent days. Holderman is a quality MLB reliever but one that can struggle at times in high leverage situations. Essentially, there are countless Colin Holdermans out there. If a team is willing to offer up a package you like for Holderman, then pull the trigger.