JULY 24, 12:59pm: There isn’t anything close on deal for a relief arm, Rosenthal now tweets. While Pittsburgh does want to bolster its pen, there are “multiple options in play.”
7:15am: The Pirates are not working on a trade for any of the Diamondbacks’ relievers at this time, a source tells Zach Buchanan of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link). Brad Ziegler is one name with the D-Backs that’s been said to be receiving interest, while Addison Reed and Oliver Perez are believed to be available as well. However, it appears the Pirates are looking elsewhere at this time.
JULY 23: Hours after acquiring Aramis Ramirez, the Pirates are working on a second trade, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Rosenthal adds that the target of the current trade is believed to be a relief pitcher, though no specific name or team has been reported at this time.
Adding a relief pitcher would serve to strengthen an area of strength for the Pirates, who already rank third in the Majors with a collective 2.50 ERA from their bullpen. Of course, Pittsburgh’s 3.45 FIP and 3.56 xFIP from the bullpen rank 13th and 10th, respectively, and the Pirates likely know that their current group of relievers could be overachieving.
To this point, the Pirates have been most prominently connected to infield upgrades, back-of-the-rotation arms and possibly outfield upgrades. The bullpen hasn’t been rumored to be a focus for Pittsburgh GM Neal Huntington, though from a speculative standpoint, the Bucs could stand to potentially upgrade in a few spots. Antonio Bastardo‘s overall numbers are underwhelming, although he’s at least held opposing lefties in check. Still, an improved second lefty could be an area of focus. Rob Scahill‘s 2.08 ERA is strong, but it’s more than a full run and a half lower than his 3.87 FIP and 3.73 xFIP. Rookie Deolis Guerra has been sharp in his debut, but he’s hardly a battle-tested arm, so perhaps the Pirates prefer to deepen their bullpen by adding more experience to the mix.
The Brewers and A’s have both begun to sell pieces, and both have relief arms available. Oakland’s Tyler Clippard is expected by many to be moved prior to the non-waiver trade deadline, while the Brewers are likely open to moving both Francisco Rodriguez and lefty Neal Cotts.
Clippard…..Ziegler….Papelbon….Chapman……who could it be?????????????
Ziegler looks like a Pirate
My guess would be Clippard or Ziegler. Both are “cheaper” than the others.
Can’t see the Pirates taking on Pap’s salary or the Reds dealing Chapman within the division, and even if they did, the Pirates aren’t the type to pay the piper on that one.
Ziegler would be great for Pittsburgh. He is so versatile and can serve as a high leverage situational pitcher for them.
That statement is also true for practically any team in baseball.
Ya but we’re talking about the Pirates right now
As a Brewer fan, I wish they would have packed K-Rod with Aramis to bring another prospect or 2 or maybe a more advanced prospect
Not that I don’t agree with the statement that Bastardo’s numbers are underwhelming, but that is just about what you are getting with him. His best season was 2013 when he was juicing and 2011 when he was the closer for a brief period of time on the 102 win Phillies.
If I’m PIT I’m looking for a middle of the rotation (or better) starter, not reliever. Burnett is a strong bet for a 2nd half fade and they could already improve upon their #4 and #5 starters… Especially when the team in front of them is first in baseball in ERA!
Cizek? Jim Johnson? KROD? Hawkins? Reed? Cody Allen? Ryan Cook? Doolittle? Rodney? Kimbel? Cotta? Parra? Any of the Red Sox’s Bullpeners?
Cishek hasn’t been great this year, neither has Reed. Doolittle is out for a while with a shoulder strain, and Cook has been underwhelming. Parra just went on the DL, and I don’t think they can afford in prospects or in dollars Kimbrel.
Yeah, definitely not Doolittle or Cook.
Again, it would come down to finances, but it appears that Boston is willing to listen to offers on Uehara (another year of $9 million) and Tazawa.
If I had to guess, Cishek is my guess, seems like a Pirates type pick-up, buy low and see what happens type of guy. But really, guessing on the RP market is a real shot in the dark. It could be a closer or just a marginal upgrade.
Mike Dunn? Edwin Jackson?
Edlose at least the Cubbies would get some of that money back.
I wonder what the Marlins would ask for Cishek. He is definitely a ‘buy low’ option..but it is such a crapshoot with RP, I’m not sure PIT has the luxury of rolling the dice in this situation. Chapman is out (cost, rival, & CIN owner’s love for him), but I think a second tier option is in play.
Aaron Loup?
Hasn’t been great this year, but why would the Jays deal from their already weak BP?
I was being sarcastic, meaning it would be awesome for the jays to get rid of a terrible reliever.
He’s been good when he inherits runners by stranding them. I think he would be a lot better if we used him as a LOOGY instead of always facing righties. Plus his FIP and BABIP show he’s been pretty unlucky so far this year
Yeah, really unlucky. Gibbons brings him into the game with guys on and boom, game tied or they are then losing, with the runs charged to the starter that could have done better himself. Or how about he brings him into a tie game, boom, run given up or perhaps 4 – 5 and game lost yet again. I wonder if they will show blown saves again, so people that say he has been good stranding runners will be able to see the 17 blown saves and holds so far in 2015 by Aaron Loup. That isn’t unlucky, that is just bad pitching.
Aaron Loup has inherited 22 runners in 2015. Five of them have scored.
Cishek would be worth taking a flier on. Ziegler would be nice but wouldn’t be cheap. Bucs are solid in 8th and 9th with Melancon and Watson. Hughes is a good ground ball specialist. But Scahill is hurt, Caminero has regressed, and Bastardo is inconsistent. It’s not a bad idea at all to improve the bullpen.
Chavez and Clippard to Pittsburgh. Chavez bolsters the rotation down the stretch and then can join Clippard in the pen for the playoffs for a lockdown pen. Give the A’s stuff.
Wil be announced tonight.
As long as Chavez stays like he is now, and doesn’t pitch like he did when he used to be a Pirate, I could be on board with that.
Pirates need Shark and Duke from the White Sox…..
Too pricey
Quintana & Petricka. Quintana is signed pretty cheaply and under contract until 2020. Don’t be fooled by his record/stats. The Sox have one of the worst defense behind him and they never give him any run support. Petricka closed for the Sox last year. Austin Meadows should be the main guy to come to Chicago along with another prospect.
Way more would be needed for quintana. Hes top 15 in pitchers war last 3 years. Amazing contract. He has more value than cole hamels.
Brad Ziegler? Don’t think they need a full-time closer type, but to add another SU arm to help ease the pressure off Watson
I have a feeling its Steve Cishek
He is rather expensive for the Pirates.. Salary is somewhere around $6.5 million this year I think..
Please let it be Fernando Rodney. A man can dream, right?
I have to assume you’re either a Mariners fan, or super sarcastic.
…said no baseball fan, ever.
dominos starting to fall
How about John Axford? He is having a very solid year pitching in Colorado.. Has an affordable contract ($2.65 million this year) and is arb eligible for another season if they want to retain him..
Tyler Clippard and Ben Zobrist for Pedro Alvarez and Alen Hanson
Hanson is a solid prospect and exactly what Beane was talking about when he said he was looking for AAA prospects.. Problem is I don’t think Pittsburgh would give him up for rentals.. With Billy Butler and Ike Davis already on the roster I don’t think Beane would want Alvarez..
Pirates will send some combo of lombardozzi,adam lambo tony sanchez vance worley and wilfredo boscan to rockies for ben paulsen and axford
It’s Andrew Lambo, and he’s injured. And no one would want Boscan. And, in general, no.
i don’t believe chapman is going anywhere
They need a first baseman. Not another reliever.