Could Joba Chamberlain be a fit with Pirates?

Joba Chamberlain was recently released by the Indians. Could he fit in well with the Pirates bullpen?

 

The Pirates will be looking to add at the trade deadline, barring a steep drop in the standings. One area that they could stand to improve is the bullpen. And the best way to do that would be to find a quality arm without having to give up prospects or big money for him. Joba Chamberlain could fit the bill. He was recently released by the Cleveland Indians after refusing a minor league assignment:

RHP Joba Chamberlain has been released by the Indians. He declined an outright assignment and is now a free agent.

— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) July 11, 2016

Chamberlain started off his career with a bang with the Yankees, and has since had an up-and-down career, filled with arguably more downs than ups. But with the Indians this season he pitched surprisingly well. Yet a crowded bullpen in Cleveland, coupled with some poor advanced statistics for Chamberlain, led to his release. The market for his services could be intriguing, considering he doesn’t come with a multi-year, big money contract, nor would a team have to give up prospects to get him. His stats this year, and his history, could lead a team like the Pirates to take a shot at him, like they did with Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ last season, two pitchers that they believed could be successful for half a season when others might not have.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Ideally, the Pirates would sign Joba Chamerlain to a minor league deal as a bullpen depth option[/perfectpullquote]

Chamerlain has posted a 2.25 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in 20 innings of work this year. He also has thrown 8.1 K/9 and has only allowed one home run. Sure, it’s a small sample size, but he’s shown he can strike batters out and keep the ball low in the zone and on the ground, which could demonstrate his ability to have longer-term success. However, he’s also walked five batters per nine innings, which could scare a few teams away. All in all, this is the type of pitcher that the Pirates usually take a flier on. And for a guy who could come on the cheap, the reward could far outweigh the risk.

However, there are a few other issues for the Pirates if they decided to pursue Chamberlain. For one, he could be looking for a major league contract, considering he refused the Indians’ minor league assignment. And if the Pirates did sign him to a guaranteed major league deal, who would leave the pen? A.J. Schugel seems like the most likely candidate to be replaced, yet he’s performed admirably in his brief time with the Pirates this year. Jared Hughes seems like another candidate, but he has a proven track record and his upside could outweigh Chamerblain’s. Plus, he may be making too much money to give up on just yet.

Ideally, the Pirates would sign Joba Chamerlain to a minor league deal as a bullpen depth option. Unfortunately, the market for his services could be too competitive for the Pirates to enter.

Image Credit – Minda Haas Kuhlmann (Flickr Creative Commons)

Thanks for checking us out here at Pirates Breakdown. Please make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook for the best Pirates coverage all year long!