Welcome to the weekly Pittsburgh Pirates Rumor Mill, where we update you on all of the latest Pirates trades, signings, rumors, injury news, promotions, demotions, and the like from the past week.
The trade deadline is under two weeks away, and the Pittsburgh Pirates seem content on buying at the deadline. They will most likely add a starter to take over the fifth spot in the rotation, and possibly add some middle relief help as well. If they add a starter and a bullpen arm or two, I’m happy with this team moving forward. The Pirates are essentially fully healthy (outside of Ryan Vogelsong), they have a high-ceiling offense, and bullpen is finding its rhythm at the right time. This, with a remade rotation that should be much better than that in the first half of the season, and the Pirates have the ability to make the postseason for the fourth straight season.
Injury Updates
The Pirates are nearly at full health for the first time all season. Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, and Francisco Cervelli are all back off the disabled list, and Gregory Polanco avoided the DL. Elias Diaz finally returned from the DL as well and was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.
ROSTER MOVE: Catcher Elias Diaz has been reinstated from the 60-day DL and has been optioned to @indyindians pic.twitter.com/ZAswRL3xHA
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 20, 2016
Ryan Vogelsong is the player the Pirates are waiting on to return from the DL now. He was making a rehab start in Indianapolis a couple days ago and left the game due to neck tightness.
As reported by @BrianPeloza Ryan Vogelsong left today's rehab start in Indianapolis early due to neck tightness https://t.co/YoS4h2QKrk
— John Dreker (@JohnDreker) July 20, 2016
Minor Moves
The Pirates made plenty of moves over the past week to accommodate the players coming off the disabled list. Josh Bell was optioned back to Indianapolis to make room for Cole, Erik Kratz was designated for assignment as the corresponding move for Cervelli, and Chad Kuhl was sent down to Indy when Taillon returned. Kuhl has a chance to be back this weekend if the Pirates choose him to start over Jeff Locke on Sunday, and Tyler Glasnow looks to be the odds-on favorite to start on Saturday.
The Rays’ Trifecta
This past weekend the Pirates scouted the Rays’ top three starting pitching trade candidates in Chris Archer, Matt Moore, and Jake Odorizzi. We gave a full analysis of each of them over the past week. In short, it will take a lot to get any of these three, as they all are quality starters with years of control remaining, and it might be better to acquire a cheaper option.
Nathan Eovaldi
Another pitcher that has drawn the interest of the Pirates is Nathan Eovaldi of the Yankees. A high-velocity pitcher that hasn’t lived up to expectations, the Pirates may be looking to add him and “fix” him during the stretch run. If they did, the Pirates could have found themselves a gem and a steal at the deadline. Of course, it also depends on if the Yankees sell or not.
The Long Relief Log Jam
When Vogelsong returns from the disabled list, and if Kuhl does take Locke’s spot in the rotation, the Pirates will have a log jam of long relievers in the bullpen. One or two is good, but the Pirates could potentially have Vogelsong, Locke, Jon Niese, and Juan Nicasio all operating in middle relief. Nicasio and Niese are already in the pen, and one of Vogelsong/Locke could kick A.J. Schugel out, but how do you fit the other in? the answer: you don’t. At least one of the above four will have to be traded and, if the Pirates also choose the trade route to improve their bullpen, another one will have to go as well. It’s not ideal to have four starters in the pen.
If it were up to me, Niese would be the first one sent packing. Then I’d trade for a reliever and trade Locke away. But that’s just me.
Jeanmar Gomez return?
Buster Olney threw this tidbit out on Twitter the other day:
Among the teams watching Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez: Pirates, who had Gomez for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Looking for bullpen upgrade.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 20, 2016
Jeanmar Gomez has been a quality pitcher each of the last four seasons, including his two years with the Pirates. His ERAs each of those years: 3.35 (2013), 3.19 (2014), 3.01 (2015), 2.76 (1.12). He’s been a positive win player in each of those seasons as well and seems to be getting better now that he’s found his niche as a reliever.
Gomez would be an interesting pickup for the Pirates. He’d immediately upgrade the middle relief corps, and he’s making only $1.4 million this season with one more year of arbitration eligibility remaining. With his work as the Phillies’ closer this season, he’s now shown that he can work in almost any situation: as a late-inning reliever, in middle relief, or as a spot starter. With Niese and Vogelsong assuredly gone after this year, the Pirates could bring in Gomez as a second long reliever alongside Nicasio for this year. It’d be a move to upgrade the bullpen now as well as next year. If it doesn’t cost a lot, I wouldn’t mind the move.
The Big Dogs: Sale, Gray, and Archer
The biggest names on the starting pitching market have to be Chris Sale, Sonny Gray, and Chris Archer. Would the Pirates be willing to trade for any of them? Neal Huntington has to show that he’ll make a blockbuster trade first before I believe he will. But anything can happen, right? It’s at least fun to talk about!
Here’s the latest on each of these three big dogs:
Another source says the #WhiteSox were offered a "king's ransom" for Sale in the last 48 hours and responded with a flat "no."
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 21, 2016
The Pirates certainly have the prospects to offer a “king’s ransom,” and we’ve heard about the Pirates making offers for Giancarlo Stanton and David Price in the past. Sale is having another great year, posting a 3.18 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP and striking out batters seemingly at will. Sale is signed through 2019 with 2018 and 2019 being club option years that max out at $15 million, making him a pretty big bargain.
Jon Heyman states that the A’s are “not engaging” anyone on Sonny Gray, but we all know that any player is trade-able for the right offer. After three great seasons with the A’s, Gray is having an uncharacteristically bad year, with a 5.12 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. He’s not striking out batters at the rate he normally does, and it would still take a huge package to get Gray despite him having an awful year. But he is making the minimum this year with three years of arbitration eligibility remaining, so it might be worth it.
Archer seems the likeliest of the three to be dealt, and the Dodgers seem like the front-runner at the moment:
Exec from team that's been talking with the Rays says he sees such a good fit with Dodgers, places odds at "70 pct" Chris Archer lands in LA
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 21, 2016
Heard from another executive today that "untouchable" wouldn't describe Rays' stance on Chris Archer. Listening. But want a "huge" return.
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 21, 2016
The move for the Dodgers makes sense with Clayton Kershaw‘s season likely over, and they have the prospects to get a deal done. If Archer, who is also having a down year, returns to being an ace, he has arguably one of the most valuable contracts in all of baseball.
I don’t see the Pirates making a splash for any of these three potential aces, but I could see any of them moved. If I were Chicago, Oakland, or Tampa, however, I wouldn’t move any of these guys. They’re all young building blocks to build a rotation around.
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