In our daily Wake-Up Call, we get you ready for the day with a complete look at all things Pittsburgh Pirates.
Despite a few signings and more than a few departures, this offseason has been relatively uneventful for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
While they saw pitchers Neftali Feliz, Jeff Locke and Ryan Vogelsong leave the team, that wasn’t the huge hit. The main departures included the likes of Matt Joyce – who signed with the Oakland Athletics this offseason – and new Atlanta Braves outfielder Sean Rodriguez.
Joyce and Rodriguez both played big roles on the Pirates bench in 2016 and will be missed in 2017. Without a move to acquire another bench bat, the Pirates will need to count on Adam Frazier as a super utility man. John Jaso and Alen Hanson may also be called upon to put in work off of the bench and fill voids left by Joyce and Rodriguez.
The Pirates main two additions to the team were starting pitcher Ivan Nova, who re-signed with the team, and reliever Daniel Hudson, who signed as a free agent. The Nova signing was almost necessary for the Pirates as they needed a solidified, veteran starter. The Hudson deal also improves the Pirates bullpen, which I expect to have a much better 2017.
Despite the pair of moves, the Pirates haven’t done much else to improve a team that missed out on the postseason in 2016. There has been plenty of talk regarding the possible acquisition of Jose Quintana, but that talked has been relatively quiet lately.
There is still time for things to change. The Bucs could make a late deal similar to last year’s signing of David Freese, but up to this point, the offseason has remained quiet, something I expect to last throughout the remainder of the offseason.
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