Remaining outfield trade targets for the Pirates as MLB trade deadline looms

The MLB trade deadline is less than 48 hours away and the Pirates have only made one minor move. Top targets for the Pirates included Jazz Chisholm and Jesse Winker, but they have already been acquired by other teams, which has left Pittsburgh examining other options.

With those big players off of the board, the Pirates need to look elsewhere to improve their roster for their postseason push. There are multiple routes Ben Cherington can go, whether that involves rentals or players with control. These five outfielders still remain on the market, and the Pirates should have a varying degree of interest in all of them before the trade deadline passes.

The Pirates should be targeting these outfielcers before the MLB trade deadline.

Taylor Ward

One of the best available players that has a strong chance of being a Pirate is Taylor Ward from the Angels. Although he has struggled recently, Ward seems like a candidate that would thrive in a lineup with protection around him. He would smoothly fit at cleanup with Oneil Cruz batting in front of him and Rowdy Tellez batting behind him.

This season, Ward has hit a fair .227 with 16 home runs and 51 runs batted in. Despite his slump, he still has an OPS of .710, but Statcast metrics say it should be higher. His slugging percentage sits at .401, but his expected slugging percentage is at .471. Ward also has a wRC+ of 97, which is three points below average, but against left-handers, it is at 152, which is just what this lineup is missing.

This is a very safe choice for the Pirates to unload a few pitching prospects for, especially given the needs of Anaheim's system. He may not be the center fielder that the team needs, but his bat against left-handed pitching would help generate more runs. Ward also gives the Pirates a reliable outfielder for years to come.

Tommy Pham

Another right-handed bat that could fill a hole in the Pirates lineup is Tommy Pham. The White Sox signed Pham to a one-year contract at the start of the season and he has been a decent hitter for them. He also has played every position in the outfield, which could provide good versatilty for Pittsburgh.

In 69 games this season, Pham has a solid .266 batting average with five home runs and 19 runs batted in. His lack of power this season has led to an OPS of .710, which is not bad, but could definitely go up soon given what we know he is capable of producing. Pham has also posted a slightly above average wRC+ of 103, which would fit well in the Pirates' lineup.

Statcast metrics also show that he has gotten unlucky, as his expected batting average is at .283 and his expected slugging percentage is at .427. His batting run value is impressive and sits in the 73rd percentile with a rating of nine.

His defense has not exactly been great this season, as he's been good for -13 defensive runs saved and -4 outs above average across all outfield positions, but his bat would surely improve this team. Pham is a solid rental candidate for the Pirates to acquire.

Cedric Mullins

Cedric Mullins is an interesting candidate; he hasn't been his usual self this season, and the Orioles have already sold a theoretical "core" member of their roster in Austin Hays. His defense in center field is solid, which has kept his fWAR positive at 0.3. His struggles at the plate make him a cheap "buy-low" candidate, which could help the Pirates establish center field and keep their prospects.

This season, Mullins has just a .219 batting average with 11 home runs and 38 runs batted in. He also has an OPS of .659, which includes an on-base percentage of .265 and a slugging percentage of .394. He has been aggressive, which has kept his walk percentage low at 5.1%, but his strikeout percentage remains the second highest in his career at 23.5%.

Although he does not provide an immediate offensive boost, he is definitely a candidate that could benefit from a change of scenery at a low cost. Mullins is definitely someone that should be on the Pirates' radar.

Bryan De La Cruz

Ken Rosenthal reported that the Pirates had scouts evaluate Bryan De La Cruz recently, which indicates that Pittsburgh has interest in the right-handed outfielder. Like Mullins, he has not been his best in 2024, but De La Cruz has shown productive offense in the past.

This season, De La Cruz has shown some power upside with 18 home runs, which is one short of tying his career high, and 19 doubles. That power has carried his OPS to .706 with a slugging percentage of .417. His 51 runs batted are also very impressive in a poor Miami offense. He has struggled with striking out at a career-high 26.1% rate.

De La Cruz does not play very good defense, but his right-handed stick would work very well in the Pirates' lineup. He would not be very expensive, so he might be someone the Pirates target at the deadline.

Mike Yastrzemski

One player that has not generated a lot of trade talk is Mike Yastrzemski from the Giants. San Fransisco has gotten hot, which has gotten them back into the race, but they have reportedly looked into selling some of their players, and Yastrzemski could be one of the players they shop.

This season, Yastrzemski is having his best season since 2020. He has a .249 batting average with eight home runs and 35 runs batted in. His OPS is solid at .762, which is led by his .440 slugging percentage and his solid on-base percentage of .322. His wRC+ is excellent at 117, and he is tied for first in the National League with eight triples.

Yastrzemski has not played a lot of center field in 2024, but he is very capable of playing it consistently. The Pirates should be all over him, if he is available. Yaz is a very underrated candidate to acquire.

Overall, there are multiple candidates still available for the Pirates to get before the deadline. They do not need to go overboard with a guy like Luis Robert, but they can find some solid outfielders with cheap prices.