Deadline Day: How Different Will the Pirates Look By 4 pm
The Major League Baseball trade deadline is a day like no other during the baseball season. Teams that are in contention are fighting for some of the most coveted players around the league to help give their team a push to make the playoffs. The deadline may look a little different this year, with so many more teams in the playoff hunt, but the rumor mill is still ringing off the hook as 4 pm creeps closer and closer. Sitting at 10-20, the Pirates are on the outside looking in terms of a playoff spot and are one of the known sellers on this year's market. Several names have been swirling around the rumor mill including Joe Musgrove, Gregory Polanco, and even Josh Bell.
But, just how different will the Pirates look when four o'clock rolls around this afternoon? General Manager Ben Cherrington has gone on the record saying that the Pirates are looking to totally rebuild. He has already made two minor moves so far, acquiring Austin Davis from the Philadelphia Phillies and sending Jarrod Dyson to the Chicago White Sox. Which Pirates will be next to go, and who will the Pirates bring in to replace them? We look at the state of the team right now and see who the Pirates need to move now, and who they can wait to move. Either way, the Pirates look to be one of the more active teams in the league as they build for the future.
The State of the Pirates
After their 5-1 win on Sunday, the Pirates currently sit at 10-20 and have one of the worst records in the MLB. However, it has not all been because of a lack of talent. The Pirates were dealt a rough hand before the season even started when Jameson Taillon and Chris Archer both went down with injuries and were out for the season. Since then, they have lost 11 of their everyday starters, including eight pitchers. It hasn't helped that some of the team's top offensive players have underperformed. On the current roster, there are only four players hitting above the .250 mark. Jacob Stallings leads the way with a .323 average, followed by Erik Gonzalez (.270), Kevin Newman (.264), and Colin Moran (.259).
Because of the injuries and lack of production, the Pirates find themselves as one of the few true sellers in this year's trade market. They have several pieces they could move to help rebuild what is the #23 ranked farm system in Baseball. The Pirates don't have much depth at pitcher or catcher and need to bring in some depth, both through the draft and the trade deadline if they are going to build and be competitive in the near future. Teams have until 4 pm today to make their final trades of the season, and Ben Cherrington should be a busy man on the phone as the Pirates prepare to get back on the road to competitiveness in the next couple of seasons.
Who They Should Move
The Pittsburgh Pirates don't have to move all of their trade chips this season, but there are some who it would be beneficial for the Pirates to get rid of. Guys whose contracts expire either this year or next year are prime candidates to get traded so that the Pirates don't lose them and end up with nothing. There are a couple of players I would classify under the "Move Now" category including Adam Frazier, Derek Holland, and Joe Musgrove. All three of these players aren't in the Pirate's future plans and their value is high or they are heading into free agency. Each player could bring back a nice return, helping the Pirates get ready for the future.
Adam Frazier is probably the guy who could net the Pirates the most return in a potential deal from this list. Frazier has been a staple at or near the top of the Pirates batting order for the last several seasons and currently is tied for third all-time in leadoff home runs. After a sluggish start to the season, he has raised his average slightly and is hitting .207 with four home runs and 12 RBI in 30 games played. He also brings a gold glove defensively at second base, as well as the ability to jump around the infield and outfield for a potential buyer. With Frazier, the Pirates are giving a player who the team has years of control over and it should net them at least a top prospect and a mid-level prospect.
As for pitchers Derek Holland and Joe Musgrove, the path to moving these players is a little hazy. Holland struggled last time out, allowing eight runs to the Milwaukee Brewers boosting his season ERA to 7.62 in 28.1 innings of work. As for Joe Musgrove, he hasn't taken the mound since August 4th after dealing with a right tricep injury. He had turned in two quality starts prior to that and was a quality option for the Pirates, but not an ace on the mound. If he was healthy, Musgrove could have brought a nice return for the Pirates, but the injury makes him harder to move.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (10-20) wrap-up their four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers (15-18) tonight at 7:40 pm. Trevor Williams (1-5, 5.34) takes the hill for the Pirates tonight while the Milwaukee Brewers have yet to name their starter. You can watch the action live on AT&T Sportsnet or listen on 93.7 The Fan.
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