The Pittsburgh Pirates brass is back at it after the holidays. Where do things currently stand with the rumored Jose Quintana trade?
The Pittsburgh Pirates powers-that-be are back at it after the holiday break.
Of course, it was not a designated break per se, but the lack of any significant movement from the club in regards to acquiring Jose Quintana shows that the club throttled down over the weekend.
Now, talks and rumors figure to ramp back up in earnest. Here now is a snapshot look at the current Hot Stove landscapes.
Snagging a Lefty?
There has been no substantial update on the Quintana talks, though numerous Chicago-based reporters are reporting that the Yankees have backed out of the rumored three-team deal that would send Andrew McCutchen to the Yankees, Quintana to the Pittsburgh Pirates and numerous prospects to the White Sox.
Such a deal would have been a difficult one to pull off, so it is not surprising that it has cooled. The Pirates still have the prospects to get the deal done. What we do know is that a “core four” of prospects have been bandied about as centerpieces of the deal, those being Josh Bell, Tyler Glasnow, Kevin Newman and Mitch Keller.
Austin Meadows‘ name has crept up, but mostly shot down as being an unrealistic trade chip. He is about as close to untouchable as it gets, which may bring a huge sigh of relief from fans.
Unfortunately, that is about as much of an update as we have at this point. Stay tuned to Pirates Breakdown as we will be tracking this throughout the day.
Other Moves
Pittsburgh Pirates GM Neal Huntington is likely waiting for the Quintana shoe to drop before addressing other moves, but that does not mean that they lack importance. Here’s a quick look.
- Finalizing the bullpen. We saw the Pirates bring in a fantastic relief arm in Daniel Hudson. However, that does not mean that the bullpen is finalized, in fact far from it. Either Tony Watson or Antionio Bastardo – and perhaps both – are likely to be moved, and Watson in particular could be used as a sweetener for any potential deal. Additionally, the team may feel it needs one more established arm to throw in to the mix.
- Finalizing the bench. Do the Pittsburgh Pirates have enough faith that Alen Hanson can serve in a utility role as the last guy on the bench? Tough to say, but we have heard stray comments from Huntington that the team will still need to address its bench. There are a myriad of options out there, and we will be exploring these in detail over the coming days.
- Another Starter? If the Pirates don’t land Quintana, will they be content with their rotation as-is? The smart money would be on the club looking to fill out the rotation with a low-risk, high-upside bargain signing should they lose out on the prized left-hander.
Download Our Mobile Apps
The introduction of our new FREE Mobile Apps gets fans closer to their favorite Pittsbugh Pirates coverage than ever before. Click here to learn about some of the features of our new app – or, if you just can’t wait, click the corresponding app store for your device and grab your copy now.
Baseball Talk on the Web
- Each week, MLB Trade Rumors collects the best of independent baseball media across the web. PBD is honored to be featured, and we encourage you to check out the latest installment.
- HardBall Talk is counting down the Top 25 baseball stories of 2016. They start with the saga that is Curt Schilling.
- You should already know about this, but in case you don’t, this Hall of Fame tracker should be part of your daily rotation.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
