Pirates manager Clint Hurdle says Josh Harrison’s recent injury could lead to the Bucs being “aggressive with early opportunity to add” this month, MLB.com’s Tom Singer tweets. Harrison is set to miss seven weeks with a torn UCL in his thumb. Since Harrison could return by the end of August, acquiring offensive help earlier, rather than at the deadline the end of the month, would perhaps best help the Pirates best compensate for his absence.
The Bucs have a capable replacement in Jung-Ho Kang taking over for Harrison at third base, but the loss of the versatile Kang leaves the Pirates with an underwhelming bench of Chris Stewart, Sean Rodriguez, Steve Lombardozzi, Gorkys Hernandez and Travis Ishikawa. It already looked possible that the Pirates would consider pursuing an outfielder at the trade deadline, and that still looks like a possibility, even though young right fielder Gregory Polanco has shown signs of life lately — again via Singer on Twitter, Hurdle says left fielder Starling Marte’s side injury could force him to the disabled list if he doesn’t respond well to pregame tests. (Marte might not miss many games even if he’s placed on the DL, however, given that the All-Star break will cover several of the 15 days he’ll be required to miss.)
The Pirates could pursue a variety of possible third base or outfield options, then, likely leaning toward a right-handed hitter if they pursue help in the outfield. Purely speculating here, but one would think a player like the switch-hitting Ben Zobrist, who’s capable of helping in both the infield and the outfield, would be especially attractive. Aramis Ramirez could be another possibility at third, with Harrison potentially returning to a super-utility role once he’s reinstated from the DL.
Could the Braves be a possible suitor for a trade? I love the Pits farm system.
Juan Uribe could be a fit but I doubt he would bring back a strong return.
Kelly Johnson would be a nice fit. Can play first, third, outfield wherever needed
I also like Maybin…
If we could offer more pieces for a prospect like Bell or Meadows, that would be awesome.
They value Bell and Meadows too much to do that.
If the Braves add pieces it may be possible. But the Braves FO actually thinks the Braves can contend, so they might not go be sellers. Which kind of makes me sad.
Nah. I’d eat my hat if they gave up either one of those guys for Maybin and pieces.
See arthur3’s comment below.
I still don’t understand why they sent Tabata down to keep Lombardozzi and Gorkys on the roster.
I would also like to see them call Alen Hanson up to and see what he can do. That bench needs some help.
My only guess is that Tabata is in the doghouse for something they’re not talking about.
Or the fact that Tabata is a singles hitter who doesn’t steal much anymore and not a really good pinch hitter. Gorkys is one the Pirates try to see what he has, and for Hanson, he’s still out with a broken finger or something related to that.
Tabata may be a singles hitter but Lombardozzi isn’t even that. Tabata had a .341 OBP when they sent him down better than Rodriguez, Lombardozzi, Ishikawa. Also you clearly don’t follow the Pirates much Hanson has been playing for almost 2 weeks.
OH BOY. Two whole weeks of playing time?????!!!!!!
Please, they know their farm better than anyone, he won’t be up just because they need a bench bat. They should plan on him taking 2B eventually instead of stunting his growth.
As for Lambardozzi, he plays everywhere, same as Rodriguiz, which also gives them to all around utility bats instead of oh hey, “I hit singles” Tabata. They’re in the race, not ran by RAJ, pretty sure they know why Tabata sucks and should be a quad A and not always on the roster.
I never said they should call up Ha:nson. I just pointed outthat he is healthy. If Steve Lombardozzi is giving them “utility at bats” and he can “play anywhere”. Why can’t he get a hit? Why do the Pirates refuse to play him in the field? He should not be in the MLB. 8th inning 2 on 2 out and you have to pinch hit. You look at that bench and your best pinch hit option is which ever catcher isn’t starting. Ishikawa is bad, Lombardozzi is worse, Gorkys is a defensive replacement only.
Neil Huntington is probably one of the least likely GM’s to part with any of his top prospects- it is just not in his nature to sacrifice any major part of the team’s future for a perceived immediate need. The one noted exception is a trade made with the Mets a couple of years ago.The Dilson Herrera trade to the Mets (in exchange for Marlon Byrd) was a critical and beneficial transaction at the time, but still seems to agitate Huntington when it is ever mentioned. If the Pirates make a move, it will be made only with an end result that makes little/no impact on the minor league prospects.
the Pirates should trade for Ben Revere, and use him at leadoff.
Ben Zobrist or Kelly Johnson would be perfect fits.
Zobrist will be too expensive prospect wise and Johnson just isn’t very good.
Zobrist is a rental, how expensive can he be? And Kelly Johnson isn’t very good? .266/.312/.443 isn’t mind-blowing with 8 HR and 29 isn’t mind-blowing, its not terrible either. Johnson is basically a LH version of Sean Rodriguez. Would be a nice platoon while Josh Harrison is out.
Lots of competition for him, is why he’ll be expensive. Although my own opinion is that the Pirates are totally fine in the OF and Polanco is probably better than Zobrist. If Marte is out a long time, though, it changes the calculus.
I’d say Adrian Beltre from Texas except Beltre has been bad this month since coming off the DL and he has a huge contract thru next year.
Delmon Young would make a nice hitter off the bench and can be had cheap, he’s in dfa limbo right now
This. Seems like a very Pirates move and I’ll bet it happens.
Adam Lind would be a great pick up. Pedro is the weak link on this team and he needs to go. We aren’t going to resign him for what he’s going to demand, and frankly he’s not worth it either. Lind for Pedro and maybe a minor league prospect would be a good deal.
You must not actually watch the games, just a typical Pedro hater. He’s been swinging the bat much better lately, his K rate is down, his BB rate is up, and he’s been hitting the ball the other way.
Pedro Alvarez is/was projected to be a power-hitting, RBI producing, slick fielding third baseman by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Despite some occasional glimmers of hope, he is a major disappointment. He is a significantly below average first basemen (leading MLB with 13 errors) and a below average MLB hitter. Projected to be a clean-up hitter when drafted, he hits sixth, or seventh, in the Pirates order. He has only 12 homeruns (mostly of the solo variety) of his 26 extra base hits- hardly the statistics of a clutch ballplayer. He will not be re-signed by Pittsburgh, as his limitations far exceed his financial commitment. Not a Pedro “hater”, but more a Pedro “realist”. If Huntington can acquire Lind with Pedro and a minor prospect, he should jump upon that opportunity immediately- it can only drastically improve the Pirates at 1B.