In our daily Wake-Up Call, we get you ready for the day with a complete look at all things Pittsburgh Pirates.
Expected Defeat
Last night the Pittsburgh Pirates dropped another game to the Chicago Cubs 4-1. The game was a scoreless affair until the bottom of the sixth when the Cubs scored three runs. Chad Kuhl looked pretty decent until he fell apart in the sixth but he was far from the main reason for this defeat.
In a throwback to 2015, Jake Arrieta completely shut down the Pirates’ offense. The only run the Pirates scored came via a John Jaso solo home run. Other than that, it was a fairly quick moving and unimpressive game for the Pirates. The 2015 NL Cy Young Winner stifled the Pirates’ bats as he went six innings, allowed zero runs on two hits and struck out four.
Results like this aren’t surprising so it’s hard to get too frustrated. You still enjoy the highs during a lost season but the lows leave you numb. The Cubs have struggled for a majority of this season but they are simply a better team than the Pirates right now. The Cubs are doing exactly what they should do, they’re taking advantage of a struggling team as they move towards a second straight NL Central Division Title.
Waivers? But why?
Yesterday it was announced the Pittsburgh Pirates placed reliever Juan Nicasio on irrevocable outright waivers. This means that any team can claim him and his $600,000 salary. I do not understand this move at all. You’d think the Pirates would like to receive something in return for Nicasio. He has been a very good reliever this year as he has a 2.85ERA with a 2.99FIP.
Let’s call this move what it is, a salary dump. I’m not one to use that term often. I don’t assume every trade is a salary dump but this is literally that. The Pirates simply placed a productive player on irrevocable outright waivers because they know some team will claim him and they do not have to pay him what he is owed. Juan Nicasio will likely go to a contending team and be an asset to their playoff aspirations but his exit should leave Pirates’ fans annoyed.
I doubt this move will push many fans over the edge but it’s curious. $600,000 isn’t a lot of money, even to the Pirates. However, it appears it was money worth saving for Pirates management. Hopefully, the team doesn’t release a statement saying this move gives them “financial flexibility” because that could lead to a city-wide eye roll so strong, half of Pittsburgh goes blind.
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