Which Cherington Off-season Addition Will Have The Biggest 2021 Impact
In his first full off-season as Pirates General Manager, Ben Cherington has gone to work adding talent to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. While most of that talent has gone to the Minor Leagues, giving the Pirates the eighth-best Minor League system in all of Major League Baseball, he has brought in some talent that will help the Major League club. From veteran players to young, up-and-coming talent, they are all looking to help a team that doesn't have many high expectations behind them. The good thing about not having high expectations is the players don't know that. They are battling every day to try and win, so why can't this team come out and win some ball games?
If many of the Pirate's young talented players play up to expectations, they have a chance to surprise some people throughout the season. A good year could put the Pirates rebuild on the fast track, and once the Minor League prospects develop into Major League talent, winning baseball could be back to Pittsburgh sooner than expected. But, who is going to make the biggest impact on the Pirates this year? On the current 40-man roster, there are 11 players brought in by Ben Cherington this off-season. While some of these players, like Roansy Contreras, probably won't see the Big Leagues this season there are several who will get their shot to impact the Pirates. Today, we look at the top three off-season additions that will help impact the Pirates during the 2021 season.
#3 LHP Tyler Anderson
The player on this list with the most guaranteed playing time is left-handed pitcher Tyler Anderson. Although is spring has been one to forget so far, posting a 5.00 ERA in 18.2 innings of work, he has been strong down the stretch and reliable throughout his career. He already has a defined spot in the starting rotation, and even has a chance to be named the Pirates Opening Day starter when the team heads to Chicago on April 1st. He is the guy in the rotation who has the most Major League experience, having spent the last five years with the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants. After an injury-plagued 2019 season, 2020 was a bounce-back year for Anderson as he went 4-3 with a 4.37 ERA with the San Francisco Giants.
Now that he is with the Pirates, he will be taking on the veteran role in the rotation, leading a group of guys who have a combined. 4.5 years of Major League experience. Anderson has been able to hold his own pitching in two hitter-friendly parks, and for the first time in his Big League career, he will be pitching in a pitcher-friendly PNC Park. When he takes the mound at PNC Park for the first time, it will be the first time he has ever done it in his Major League career. As a left-handed starter, he should be able to use the deep left field to his advantage against right-handed hitters. He will be one of the veteran starters in the Pirates rotation and he is looking to show he can still give a team quality innings with the Pirates.
#2 C Michael Perez
As far as back-up catchers go, the Pirates haven't had a lot of luck the past couple of seasons. Ever since Chris Stewart left the team in 2017, the Pirates have not had a consistent back-up catcher. Elias Diaz had a few good spurts but nothing consistent, and John Ryan Murphy was ok last season, but not a very memorable name. Because the catcher's position was one where the Pirates lacked depth, Cherington was determined to add to the position this off-season. That is when he made a claim on former Rays catcher Michael Perez. Perez had World Series experience under his belt but hit just .167 with a home run and 13 RBI in 38 games with the Rays.
However, where Perez's real value lies is in his defensive game rather than his offensive ability. The battle for the back-up catcher spot is coming down to the wire, and I think it will ultimately be defense that wins it. If that is the case, Perez has the best chance to win the job considering his play and the fact he is already on the 40-man roster. This spring, Perez has been an impenetrable wall behind the plate. He has thrown out three of the four would-be-base runners against him and has yet to allow a passed ball or wild pitch when he was behind the plate. He has only hit .167 this spring, but at just 28-years-old he still has time to grow. He has never been given a full shot at a back-up catcher job, but he will get just that and bring a strong defensive presence behind the plate.
#1 David Bednar
After an impressive Spring Training, David Bednar has gone from throw-in, in the Joe Musgrove trade, to a dominant force that will most likely win a spot in the Pirates bullpen. The Pittsburgh native's Major League career has not been very strong, with a 6.75 ERA over his first 17 Big League appearances. However, when you look at his Spring Training 2021 stats, they paint a much different picture. Bednar has appeared in nine games for the Pirates spanning 8.1 innings of work and has yet to be scored upon. He has also struck out an impressive 17 batters during the stint and has walked just one batter.
After a dismal season for the Pirates bullpen a year ago, the Pirates are looking for any spark that can get their relievers going. Bednar has provided that spark this Spring and has more than earned himself a spot on the Opening Day roster. He has drawn comparisons to former Pirates closer Matt Capps, with Capps himself even pointing it out on air, and he looks to be a part of the back-end of the Pirates bullpen. With no true closer named by manager Derek Shelton, the spot is up for the taking for anyone who can tale the reigns. If his Spring Training performance is any indication of how he will do in the regular season, Bednar could very well be the guy to take the reigns now and in the future. At just 26-years-old, this could be a move that helps the Pirates not only in 2021 but for years to come.
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