TODAY: Archer has been officially activated, as per a team announcement. Right-hander Clay Holmes was optioned to Triple-A to create room on the 25-man roster.
SUNDAY: Pirates right-hander Chris Archer is slated to come off the injured list Wednesday for a start against the Diamondbacks, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was among those to tweet.
Archer has been been on the IL with right thumb inflammation since April 27, the day after he turned in his lone horrid start of the season in a loss to the Dodgers. In all, the 30-year-old has notched 27 innings of 4.33 ERA/4.80 FIP ball with four walks per nine, a 32.4 percent groundball rate and a 15.2 percent home run-to-fly ball rate.
Nearly all of Archer’s 2019 numbers rank as personal worsts, and despite an impressive ability to fan hitters (9.67 K/9 this season, 9.73 career), he has fallen somewhat short in the run prevention department in recent years. Archer hasn’t managed a sub-4.00 ERA since 2015, the last season of an excellent three-year stretch, though he was still worth between 2.6 and 5.1 fWAR in each of the previous five campaigns.
Although Archer has looked more like a mid-rotation starter than an ace of late, the Pirates still surrendered a boatload to acquire him and his team-friendly contract from the Rays last July. Pittsburgh gave up a young tandem consisting of righty Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Austin Meadows, both of whom failed to live up to their high-end prospect billing with the team but now look like blossoming stars in Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the gamble didn’t pay off in the form of a playoff berth for the Pirates last year, and though the Bucs are off to a 19-17 start this season, they’ll have trouble overtaking the Cubs, Brewers and Cardinals in the National League Central.
Austin Meadows failed to live up to his high prospect billing? Seriously? I’m thinking that it was more of the Pirates willing to part with him because the Rays wanted him for Archer. Failing to live up and getting a month or so trial to prove himself doesn’t make sense.
The Rays pull these heists routinely.
Heist of the decade: Meadows and Glasnow for Archer. I said it when it happened. I still say it now. I have no idea what Pittsburgh thinking. This never made sense for them in the first place and it’s only gotten worse sense.
Shane Baz is sick too, and there was literally no reason for Pittsburgh to throw him in, those 2 were way more than enough as is. Pirates front office is sorry.
I said it at the time too, so I’m with you there. I’ve always been a fan of Archer, but there’s also no denying that he’s long been pretty overrated (he’s usually pitched better than his ERA, but at some point that actually has to translate or else it doesn’t mean much). Those two alone were plenty; adding Baz was a gross overpay even at the time, and it’s only looking worse.
I’m not sure if this is an unpopular opinion or if other people agree by now, but I’d argue that the Rays got a better return than the Braves did for Shelby Miller.
Braves fan here, I might have to begrudgingly have to agree with you there. Swanson is looking like he’s turning a corner and Inciarte has been a 3war player each season, but Glasnow is looking like a future CY candidate and Meadows is destroying pitching, and Baz has boatloads of potential.
Archer has certainly produced more for the Pirates than Miller did for the DBacks, but that Rays haul is unreal.
Oops, it should read “I might have to begrudgingly agree with you there”… Note to self, always re-read after an edit
I hope Glasgow recovers and does well but for Gods sake it’s May and he is hurt so try to hold off on putting him in the HOF
I know why they did it… Obvious gimmick to sell some tickets .. while sacrificing the whole future.
Everything in Pittsburgh is profit-related.
If its really profit related (which i dont doubt that it is), you’d think the Pirates FO would want to keep good young players so that they can be contenders and sell tickets.
What i am saying is no matter how you look at it the Pirates FO is comprised of dummies
They make a move you call them stupid and they stand pat and people call them cheap! Quit whining and be a real baseball fan!!!
I liked Glasgow and Meadows but Archer was the talk of the league for the entire season until the trade happened and before that so be glad that they made a smart move and went for it for once
Everything in every business is profit related. That’s why it’s called business for profit
Agree, just look at their draft choices. What team picks middle infielders in rounds 1 and 2.?
Most teams would be looking for a power pitcher or hitter not a banjo hitter.. Newman and Kramer don’t look like All-Star candidates ever. Jury still out on Tucker.
Jury is out on all of them as none have proven themselves yet one way or the other.
Did you forget the Shelby Miller trade? What is Dave Stewart suddenly a good GM? Miller only played for the DBacks for 1.5 seasons and didn’t even have the track record of Archer.
Good point
And even that deal still pales in comparison to Jake Arrieta for half a season of Scott Feldman.
I keep telling anyone who will listen: if your fave team trades with TB, your fave team will be getting ruined on that trade.
Even with turnover, TB’s front office is still somehow light years ahead of everyone.
How is Zunino for Smith and Fraley ruining the Mariners? Fraley has looked great.
Also, Zuninos replacement, Narvaez, has been 100 times better offensively than Zunino which is something Mariner fans haven’t seen in 5 years.
That deal was focused on Smith. The Rays knew that they were selling high and the Mariners bit. The Mariners had some depth at catcher and they were becoming down on Zuninos offense. You can call it a win win if you wanr but Smith has disappointed so far.
Big excuse to try to make a point
See Dickerson
The Rays did good in the earlier trade they made with the Pirate. They stole Daniel Hudson and Tristan Gray and all they gave up was Cory Dickerson……..
Good point but if someone looks at that they won’t be able to Pirate trash as much
You gave up Tyler Glasnow, Austin meadows, and Shane baz for Chris archer. Anyone who wants to trash the Pirates has all the ammo they need right there
It’s May! Remember that
I created an account just to agree to this! What a joke to say that Meadows didn’t ‘live up to his high prospect billing’. I couldn’t believe it when they traded he and Glasnow for Archer. What a friggin joke.
Yes the Pirates lost this deal massively, but both Meadows and Glasnow are already banged up, as they’ve been their whole career. You can only be a superstar if you’re on the field enough and I’m not sure they will be.
Also I’m a Pirates fan and this is me trying to salvage anything I can out of this poor deal. I still stand by my thoughts that Glasnow would never had success in Pittsburgh. His control issues magically disappeared which I don’t think most people would have predicted.
“His control issues magically disappeared” because the Pirates coaching staff failed him and TB’s succeeded.
Place the blame where it goes, not on “magic” please.
You should really just move to the Tampa Bay Area and move on
Glasnow looked awful in Pittsburgh, confused, didn’t trust his stuff, couldn’t get out of jams. I guess you can say he just matured but I wish the Pirates knew how to unlock that potential.
Well they did give us a gold glove LF for free so Glasnow Baez Meadows for Archer and Dickerson isn’t that bad of a deal. With Reynolds and Martin one might argue Meadows world still be in AAA here
It would probably be that Meadows would be up instead of Reynolds if this trade hadn’t happened.
Not to mention Baz … Meadows or Glasnow as the centerpiece should have been enough. Not both; much less all three.
What’s Baz done in Tampa Bay?
You could replace Baz with any single-a player that never touches the bigs and it only adds insult to injury. Baz doesnt have to see any time at the ML level for his addition to the package to be ridiculous.
He has done nothing and until he does there is no reason to keep throwing his name out there
Then quit bringing his name up until he actually shows some value rather than just being a name on a list
It’s about value not accomplishments
What value. Again, what has he accomplished?
Nothing
When the trade went down, no one in Pittsburgh cared that Glasnow was gone because he never had showed a thing while on a Major league mound. Every was complaining that he was a bust. Meadows was lamented some because he was getting hits but people were wondering why he hit with no power. Baz was an unknown but he was battling control problems since turning pro. Will take time to see who really “won” this trade. Will have to see if Meadows can stay healthy. Will have to see if Glasgow’s forearm strain is just that or if he will need TJ surgery. Will have to see if Baz can harness his arm. Will have to see if Archer can stay healthy and get his ERA and win total can match his stuff. Way to soon to say either side won or lost.
All excellent points. I have to admit that they gave up on Meadows way too soon.
Archer hasn’t been consistent for yrs.
They got Reynolds as part of the Cutch trade. He and Martin made it possible to let Meadows go.
Um, no. I’m from Pittsburgh and remember caring very much that Glasnow was gone. I complained to anyone willing to listen what a mistake it was to let go of him. ANYONE who watched on regular basis could see how dominate his stuff could be with a little command. Something internal in Pittsburgh was likely the problem. Not Glasnow. Because in Tampa, he seems to have picked up right where he left off in AAA.
I thought a fair trade for Archer was Meadows and Baz. Unproven top prospect who years away (anything could happen) and Meadows (who was expendable in a crowded outfield). Meadows looked like an average to above average outfielder in Pittsburgh but has found his way in Tampa.
All I can say is I’m always happy when people succeed. And I’m so glad that both of those guys have been able to be the best versions of themselves at the games top level.
I wish the Pittsburgh Pirates organization was just…. well… better. They just aren’t very good at what they do. But I always hope they get it together.
@moviemang80. I am from the Burgh too. Hated to see Glass ow go too but y’all u must not read local sports writers or listen to local sports talk. All last season people were complaining about what a bust Glasnow was that they should have traded him the year before. Whining that he was a bust. I agree that he was a big piece and should not have gone. Now that he has arm issues time will tell if the pirates were lucky to have let him go or if he will recover and continue success. I wish all 4 guys to have success but at the time, it did not look like a huge loss for the Bucs. No one would have seen Glasnow do what he has done so far this year. No one would have seen Meadows hit for power either. As you say Baz is a long way away yet and who knows how he will turn out.
I do read the locals. I often don’t agree with them. But I think, while many were excited about acquiring Archer, most agreed it was an overpay (even then). And many of us were left scratching our heads like ‘why now’. Why not when we won 98 games, why after we trade Cole? And a few other Whys? But… people complained the front office didn’t make moves so they made a move, but it just so happened to be a move that was a little silly.
As for the foresight. I agree about not foreseeing the Meadows breakout. Mostly because he hadn’t hit at ANY level, really. And certainly not for power. It’s cool to see him doing well, but I definitely didn’t think he’d put it all together like this.
Glas, on the other hand, I just disagree. He was lights out at EVERY level, no one could touch him. Then he came up, didn’t handle the pressure well, and couldn’t get the ball over the plate. Then they tried changing his mechanics to get him to take a few mph diff his pitches and he wasn’t consistently effective. But the stuff, if you watched beyond the numbers, was always nasty and elite. So I genuinely did think it was only a matter of time with him. I hope he avoids serious injury with this strain. He was on track for a Cy Young season. Love seeing the kid do well.
Why? Because this trade may not been available then per Tampa Bay. Teams don’t always trade just because it is convenient for the other guys
The more I look at the Archer trade, the more I’m wondering if it was a “part 2” to offset the Dickerson trade.
I mean, put it together, Dickerson+Archer for Hudson, Glasnow, Meadows and Baez looks a way more even trade than each of them individually.
The Dickerson trade is really hard to understand on its own since he was just months removed from being a All-Star (and had been DFAed)
Glasnow and meadows for a declining Chris archer was a epic fail of a trade for the Pirates
Yes. Pittsburgh needs to hear what Yankee fans think