The Dodgers, looking to bolster a bullpen that has had its share of slipups this season, are interested in acquiring Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez, Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports. There is no indication the Pirates would be amenable to trading Vazquez, however.
Factoring in the 27-year-old Vazquez’s age, track record and contract, he’s one of the most valuable relievers in the sport. The hard-throwing left-hander debuted with the Nationals in 2015 but truly burst on the scene in 2017, a year after the Pirates acquired him from the Nats in a deal for fellow reliever Mark Melancon.
Vazquez has been a dominant late-game workhorse since his first full season in Pittsburgh, having posted a 2.12 ERA/2.43 FIP with 11.51 K/9, 2.67 BB/9 and a 46.2 percent groundball rate in 178 1/3 innings. He has also saved 77 of 85 opportunities over the past two-plus seasons, including 19 of 20 in 2019. This may go down as the best season yet for Vazquez, who has pitched to a 1.91 ERA/2.36 FIP with 13.91 K/9 and 2.45 BB/9 across 33 frames.
Vazquez wouldn’t be the closer with the Dodgers; he’d instead team with game-ending righty Kenley Jansen to form a duo that would be one of the envies of the league. Owners of the majors’ best record (55-26), the Dodgers aren’t hard up for help. However, their bullpen has been more middle of the pack than excellent this season. Jansen and Pedro Baez have performed well (though the former has fallen off a bit since his halcyon days), but there’s room for improvement otherwise.
There is little question convincing the Pirates to part with Vazquez would mean offering an impossible-to-reject package of young talent. While the 36-41 Pirates probably aren’t on their way to the playoffs this season, the low-budget club has Vazquez potentially under wraps through 2023 on a sweetheart contract, so it’s not in any rush to move him. He’s on a $4MM salary this year, a $5.25MM salary in 2020 and a $7.25MM figure in 2021. After that, Vazquez has affordable club options worth $10MM apiece from 2022-23.
Dodgers dont have the prospects to make it happen unless they want to include Will Smith
Stripling or Urias + Will Smith and you got a deal.
Do you really think the Dodgers would trade Urias? They can just use him as a set up man this postseason.
Ain’t gonna happen.
Strip and Smith makes sense… unless they know something they’re not sharing about Urias’ arm. Either way – a seasoned MLB starter and catcher of the future for a premium reliever is fair – partic since the Dodgers have Keibert Ruiz, Diego Cartaya and Connor Wong as organizational depth behind the plate.
No, the Pirates need prospects not Will Smith
Not sure what prospect list you are referring to. Will Smith is their 5th best prospect and isn’t even their best catching prospect.
Meaning guys i think they would be willing to trade. May be willing to deal Smith because of Ruiz. Dont think they are deep enough to make this deal. Wouldnt be smart
Let’s be clear… this team is one Series loss away from being labeled the Buffalo Bills of baseball. And Friedman knows it. A bold move for “impact players” will be made in July.
The Buffalo Bills of Baseball. The Dodgers can never be the Buffalo Bills of baseball. The Bills have never won a Super Bowl!!!!!!! The Dodgers have won the World Series 6 times. So there is no comparison. The Dodgers have one Championships!!!!!!! The Bills have not!!!!!!!!!
No comparison!!!!!!!!!!!
The Dodgers also have a much longer history than the Bills. They’re going to be known as one of the greatest choke teams in history if they don’t get at least one championship out of this run! Much like the Braves of the 90’s, they can get there but choke when it counts! Face it, Kershaw can not pitch when the pressure is on. They need to pull off a trade and get another BIG arm to back up Kershaw, solidify the pen, then they may breakthrough. If not, they will probably be the runner up yet again, at best. I’m realistic in my thoughts on my Yankees! They have an offense that’s video game worthy, but if your SP and bullpen can’t shut down the opposing team, it’s all for nothing! It’s good to score 10 runs a game but if you give up 12, you still lose!
You damn well better believe that!!!
Dodgers will not include Smith in any trade I don’t believe. The reason being look at their catchers. Besides the bullpen they are both horrible offensively. I can see Smith being their starter next season. Ruiz in the minors still has two or three years to go so I don’t believe Smith is going anywhere
The fact that they went out of their way to call Smith back up suggests that they’re shopping him.
It suggests no such thing.
No it just means they wanted another RH bat in the lineup.
I think the Dodgers recalled Smith from AAA to avoid burning one of his three options. He was nearing 20 days since his previous demotion when they recalled him.
Supposedly their best catching Prospect is 18 years old Ruiz don’t expect him up anytime soon when one of our catches went down they brought up Smith only because of his age compared to Reese. They were very happy about his performance and he is the only one in there system that is Major League ready
They easily do but I wouldn’t make the move because the Pirates have no reason to move him, so they will ask for the farm
Pirates owners are the worst in sports. Always count on them to make terrible decisions. They’ll trade him for almost nothing as long as the return makes a lot less than his current salary.
I didn’t realize that Vazquez was acquired for Melancon, so that was a pretty solid trade… Archer and Cole deals, not so much.
They also got Hearn as well for Melancon. Hearn was flipped for Kela.
Made a great deal for Cutch getting Crick and Reynolds.
So we can easily ignore him BOTCHING THE TWO BIGGEST TRADES FLOPS OF OUR LIFETIME then I guess.
..actually 3 biggest trades when you include the Jason Bay trade disaster.
He also turned down Giolito for Cutch,
I know this Reynolds kid can hit singles with the best of them , but I’d rather have Giolito
He has six home runs, sixteen doubles, and two triples; not just a singles hitter
Reynolds has had two good months in the majors. I’m not ready to put him in the Hall of Fame just yet.
Are you kidding? The Cole trade wasn’t good? They got 4 major Leaguers currently on their roster for a guy who was leaving when his contract was up, which was one year later. Moran, Musgrove, Martin, and Feliz.
I don’t think you know how many prospects from the Dodgers are in the top 10 in minor league baseball
None? Ruiz is their highest, at 28.
They definitely do have the prospects to make it happen in fact, and they are in a particularly great spot to shed some of those prospects who don’t have a path. As to whether they’d trade Urias, this is the first time ever I actually think they may. With the deferred sentence and all that came with it, it wouldn’t surprise me. If the Pirates are considering trading Vasquez, this is the time to go in it would take a haul, but a haul the Dodgers can withstand.
To correct a point here, Urias wasn’t sentenced. He wasn’t even prosecuted. The lack of a complete resolution may well have left an overhang of dissatisfaction with Urias for the Dodgers, who we know tend to avoid players with issues of this kind, but I think he might still be too tall a price to pay for Vasquez.
I apologize, deferred prosecution. It was completely miss worded by me. Albeit the agreement was still pretty damning. Regardless, I think the Dodgers may be more willing to part with him than ever before, potentially for what and who I don’t know. Even then it’s not a given, but to be it’s more realistic now.
True, even a few weeks ago it would have been hard to picture the Dodgers parting with Urias, but that possibility has to be on the radar at least now.
Highly doubt they trade Urias, he’s cheaper and under control for longer than Vasquez, plus they’re looking to bolster the bullpen, including Urias in a trade for Vasquez doesn’t do much for them.
What the hell is “deferred prosecution?”
Urias was not charged. Thus, there will not be a trial, nor a prosecution, nor a finding, nor a verdict, nor a sentencing.
The city attorney basically said “don’t do it again or we might have to charge you.” It’s the equivalent of the police officer telling you to slow your car down next time you drive through there.
Urias has to do domestic violence classes. It’s like a plea bargain, do the classes and you’re good, don’t do the classes and there might be some trouble.
I think this maybe likely. Will Smith is expendable at this point. It’d be nice to have him but valesquez is much more needed then will Smith.
Dodgers got prospects galore at Great Lakes that the Bucs would take.
The Pirates are excellent at haphazardly trading players to get rid or anyone with a salary over league minimum. Instead of playing baseball, they think they are playing the game ‘Sorry.’
If they throw in Marte then we throw in Verdugo
Verdugo is a major contributor and not a prospect anymore. He is not getting traded and way too many people seem to think he is. Had he been moved in the last 2 years it would have shocked no one but were past that point now, He is better than Marte anyway
I can see Ruiz and Stripling. Not Lux nor May. Ruiz and Stripling in the couple of more prospects. I mean let’s be serious this guy is not Cy young either
You’re nuts! Verdugo has done nothing near what Marte can do. Verdugo hasn’t proven himself and until/if he does, he is just a prospect
Your right. Verdugo has never been busted for PEDs
Marte > Verdugo
This year he hasn’t been. Regardless he isn’t getting traded. Verdugo fits this team perfectly.
verdugo > marte, this year is what matters.
Isn’t marte second only to Merrifield in hits? Tied with some guy named Bellinger.
Probably thinking of Bell who had a red hot historic May but has cooled a lot in June.
Unless it is Ketel Marte with Arizona.
It’s Bell, not Marte. Bell has most extra base hits and rbi’s
Marte is hitting 274
It is Ketel Marte with Arizona who has come on with 97 hits now.
Although Marte can’t run the bases or remember how many outs there are!!!
Verdugo as a throw-in? Comedy night must have started early this week.
Dodgers will not include Smith in any trade I don’t believe. The reason being look at their catchers. Besides the bullpen they are both horrible offensively. I can see Smith being their starter next season. Ruiz in the minors still has two or three years to go so I don’t believe Smith is going anywhere
Tight on… believe it or not I can see Joc Goin to give us a top-of-the-line reliever. I think he is playing over his head right now anyway and they should trade him when he is up there very streaky hitter Dodgers have enough outfielders as it is. That’s the reason they are trying him at first base for when center fielder comes back from the DL. I don’t see Pederson taking at-bats from our best hitters then again Roberts is the manager enough said
Joc doesn’t have that value, nowhere close. No one is going to value a platoon LF who is going to be relatively expensive with no control. It’s just not going to happen. He has way more value to the Dodgers than he’d bring back. With that said your evaluation of Joc is ridiculous. I’m starting Joc and his .345/.943 147 ops+ in the playoffs vs a RH everyday of the week.
The biggest problem with moving Pederson is he’s in his next to last year of arbitration. That makes him both fairly expensive and lacking in much team control. Neither are going to be very attractive to a rebuilding club.
I don’t see them trading Smith either. The Dodgers probably see Smith and Ruiz as their catching tandem of the near future.
Pirates have a surplus of outfielders and don’t need Pederson.
Stripling, Ruiz, Lux, and a couple lower level lotto tix? Urias in there somewhere?
Supposedly their best catching Prospect is 18 years old Ruiz don’t expect him up anytime soon when one of our catches went down they brought up Smith only because of his age compared to Reese. They were very happy about his performance and he is the only one in there system that is Major League ready
Ruiz is 20. He’ll be 21 next month.
And if you think Stripling and Ruiz gets you Vazquez, you’re absolutely crazy.
I don’t WANT that to be the case. It would definitely need to be more. But the Bucs need pitching. I’d love Ruiz, May, Lux +. But I don’t see that happening either.
There’s no way they’d give those two up for Vazquez. No need to worry about that happening.
If that’s the price, heck no!! That’s crazy.
I can guarentee you 100 percent they are not trading Lux
If you want quality you have to trade quality. Otherwise, screw it.
I can see Ruiz and Stripling. Not Lux nor May. Ruiz and Stripling in the couple of more prospects. I mean let’s be serious this guy is not Cy young either
Starters aren’t expendable now that Hill is out, for how long, nobody knows. If the Dodgers traded Stripling they’d need someone to replace him in the rotation.
His replacement might be today’s starting pitcher.
Could be but the timing seems not quite right. Gonsolin hasn’t thrown more than three innings in game I believe. I know Stripling hasn’t been stretched out a lot more so far this year but it’s a place where he’s been before at least.
It’s not. Gonsolin will be traded or transitioned to the pen down the stretch run. Let’s not get to crazy, and completely overvalue guys here.
Gonsolin is a starter, so I don’t see how it’s overvaluing him to suggest that he might actually start. If the Dodgers traded either Stripling or Urias, Gonsolin would be next in line to get some starts.
BlueSkyLA – makes sense to me. Plus, just on the Rizzo Report pregame today, Alanna stated that Roberts told her that they strongly considered bringing Gonsolin up to the team out of Spring Training since they were slow playing Walker Buehler. So it’s not inconceivable that if a spot opened up he could get a shot until if/when Hill returns.
He isn’t making a great case for himself today unfortunately.
Due to being at the end of June, it makes more sense the FO makes an acquisition to address a need, if there’s any hint that Hill won’t be ready or questionable, whether an SP or swing man they can transition. They may do so anyway to avoid extra bonuses Maeda will get close to hitting, while “getting him reacquainted” & fortifying their pen.
Gonsolin starting rn is really just an opportunity to give guys an extra day off before heading to Coors and ASB. His value if anything this year will be seen in the pen, because of how electric his stuff is. Transitioning back to the pen would be nothing new to Gonsolin or this team that likes to see what guys with his stuff look like out of the pen.
You can try, but we are not giving him to you
There goes Morosi, making stuff up again.
I can see the Dodgers including Stripling, Gonselin or May and maybe a few lower level prospects. Although a steep price to pay, Vasquez would solidify the bullpen for years and probably take over the closer role in the upcoming few seasons or whenever Jansen struggles. Vasquez’s numbers are off the charts and he’s controllable for a while.
As others as said you want a cheap control closer we want urias or strippling and smith. With Boston it starts with devers or chavis
With his contract, you’re looking at $35-40 mill in surplus value (if u value Vazquez at 2 WAR/year).
It’s gonna take at LEAST 2 of Ruiz/Lux/May plus more.
I’m sure the Dodgers are interested in acquiring a lot of players. This article is just for fodder,
Tony Gonsolin might be on display today for that specific trade. Who knows…
Vazquez would cost the Dodgers a lot to get but as a Pirate fan who has seen him a lot I think he could be the one piece to get LA over the hump and win a title to make it all worthwhile.
It’s all about Championships! Most prospect don’t reach their expectations. Pitchers get injured, some batters are proven to take PEDs; unless they go outside country for agents to counteract testing.. How many players you think are doing this? There are only millions to gain.
There is zero reason to trade Vazquez. None. He’s cheap. He’s under control for years. He’s cheap. He is one of, if not, the best closers in baseball. He’s cheap.
3 of their top 5 prospects, plus 2 more of their top 10 and maybe 1 or 2 Oneil Cruz type lotto tickets on top of that or else hang up the phone.
Unless the other guy loses his mind and offers you a blank check to his farm system…zero reason to trade Vazquez.
This. If the Dodgers want him now it’ll have to cost them big time. Unfortunately for the Pirates, they might just be willing and able to do so. Maybe Ruiz, Stripling, May and a lotto ticket or 2. Make up for that awful Archer deal.
Right, it should be up to the Dodgers to compensate the Pirates for the Archer deal. That’s some real good baseball thinking there.
Except I said nothing about that being the Dodgers’ intention. It should be the Pirates intention. Vazquez has way more value now than Archer did last year, and will most likely have similar value a year from now. The Pirates shouldn’t even answer the phone unless the initial offer literally makes Neal Huntington’s eyes bug out.
I agreee that this would have to be a trade for the Pirates that NH cannot refuse.
Vasquez at this point is the only dependable pitcher that they have and I really thought that pitching was a strength at the start of the year.
It was a strength, in April, before injuries decimated them while also exposing that they had zero depth. It seems to be correcting itself a hair now as people come back, but it may have buried them too deep. At least we’re coming up on a brutal stretch of schedule, which should truly determine if the Pirates have any shot this year.
There are 26 games with good to very good teams.I know that they cannot compete with the best teams like the Yankees,Astros,or Dodgers,but they will need to beat the Brewers,Cardinals,and Cubs to get back in it.I think that the Pirates need to win 15 of the those 26 games to get to 500 and then win 35-40 of the remaining 60 games to have a chance at making the playoffs.
It isn’t up to the Dodgers or any other team to compensate the Pirates for the Archer deal, no matter what the Pirates intend. It just doesn’t work that way. If a trade is made involving Vasquez it will be value for value and have nothing whatsoever to do with any previous trade.
BlueSky, you’re not understanding jtkuch.
Twins are interested. Go after Kirilloff.
Sox too. Go after Devers/Chavis.
I agree. Ask for all of it. And, he’ll command just as much next year too. So, a team can pay the ransom now. Or do it next year and lose a season of control.
Yeah, pretty much think of the most insane package of young controllable everyday players and prospects the Pirates could ask for, then double it, and that’s what the Bucs should be asking for Vazquez. They have no reason to trade him unless they get the deal of the century.
If the Pirates trade Vasquez at all for prospects it is plainly saying that they cannot compete and this is a perpetual rebuild.
They have been mired in mediocrity for three and a half years now and have a GM who says that it is not worthwhile to sign free agents.
That is the reason that they cannot compete with any good teams and have no pitching depth so that they have to bring up a young guy like Dario Agraval to compete against the Astros of all teams.
NH has made many good trades in the past but they need to spend some modest amounts of money and change their tune if they ever want to be taken seriously again.
To keep saying the Pirates got horribly robbed in the deal for Archer are still looking at Meadows sun hot start with numbers never put up by him. For June, he is back to earth with a ,209 BA for The month so far. Glasnow is on the 60 day with a setback.. as always way to soon to declare victory for either side.
All of that is still moot if Archer continues to fail to even live up to his prior numbers before the trade, let alone pitch to whatever capabilities they saw in him at the time. Plus, the Rays have Glasnow and Meadows under control for awhile and they’re still young. Don’t forget throwing in Baz for no adequate reason.
The problem from my perspective with this Archer trade is that the Pirates gave up two potential high ceiling guys for one who has actually been there in years past but not now.NH seemed to panic when the Pirates won I think eight in a row when he thought that they had a chance last year.
I think that the inclusion of Baz was just a fleecing by the Rays but it may be for naught if he does not develop.
Glasnow and Meadows are and were the kind of talents that you trade for a bonafide stud, not one who WAS a stud three years prior for one season and was coming off three years of average-mediocre performances. Cheap contracts and “years of control” are only a bonus if the player is actually good. It was the same thing with Jon Niese. NH just seems to be bad at determining value from another team’s perspective, which is key in trades.
The organization needs to “ clean house” with their talent evaluators. Way too many draft picks that never materialize into stud players. They also typically take too long to get players to Bigs and when they do arrive they have low Baseball IQs and make way too many mistakes compared to other organizations.
I think that with Niese he was the best that NH could get since he knew that he would not resign the injury prone Neil Walker to a large three year contract.That turned out to be wise.Niese was an extremely consistent good 4th-5th starter for years with Mets.He was not a #3,however,and he just happened to go south very quickly with the Pirates.
No one has a crystal ball.
It is not moot if Glasnow needs TJ and never recovers an/or if Meadows never gets anywhere near his hot start again and hits in the bigs like he did in the minors. Baz was said to have real issues with control. Again, not saying any of that will happen. What I did say was that it is just too soon to say either side won or lost yet in the deal. Both sides already have seen ups and downs with the acquired players and none have been consistent for any extended period
It would take A LOT to happen to spin this as even just a bad trade instead of a fleecing. It was bad the moment it was made and has gotten significantly worse since. Glasnow and Meadows both showed they have legit All-star upside, even with injuries and slumps, which by the way happen to basically everyone not named Mike Trout. Archer has shown that he’s even more overrated than people thought he was at the time of the trade. And while Baz is far away, he was still a first round pick with TOR upside. Imagining this trade ending up a wash is fool’s optimism.
Adding Baz to trade was unreasonable ask. Tampa Bay fleeced Pittsburgh GM really, really bad to point of embarrassment. Don’t think those two GMs will be doing any trades in the near future.
No worse fleecing than the Bucs did in getting Dickerso from the Rays.. months earlier….
I agree but getting Dickerson and salary relief for a bad relief pitcher four months earlier was an even bigger steal.I find it hard to believe that the Rays could not have done better.( sorry for redundancy but had stated before other posting)
The Rays DFAed Dickerson and Pirates were willing to give anything but cash considerations. The owner keeps all his money. Rumor has it the Pirates are going to have bring your own fireworks to fireworks night to save the Almighty dollar. Some organizations just except mediocrity.
I would suggest to ignore the naysayers who only look at the Pirates in one negative dimension.
Criticism is valid if it is balanced and thoughtful.
Too many on here do not actually think,they just blurt out their one dimensional negativity.
It takes at least two years to be able to accurately judge a trade of the Archer magnitude.That is way longer than the attention span of many of these posters.
The Pirates stink. The owner doesn’t care about winning, just keeping the payroll low enough to “stay competitive” and trick people into buyng tickets. Huntingdon is not a good GM at all. Whatever spark he had in his early days has long since faded into mostly bad trades and signings. The organization has wasted every draft pick since Jamison Taillon by making bad choices or giving their top picks away for nothing. AFTER their window to compete was closed. There is no organizational depth.in the minors. The yearly dumpster dives for the Erik Bedards and Kevin Correas to bolster the pitching staff and hope for one good year by a Volquez is a joke. The pitching staff and bullpen were LAUGHABLY called the best in the league by fans before this season (fans who have obviously never heard of the Dodgers, Astros, Nationals, Yankees…. this list could get long…). The big free agent signing of 2019 was Lonnie Chisenhall, a guy who basically everyone on planet Earth knew wouldn’t play more than 20 games this year….. except for Huntingdon. There is no one to root for on the team anymore outside of Bell, Taillon, and Vazquez. Polanco was a bust. Marte will be gone before spring training, since he has 2 years of cheap years left, but those will be too expensive for the Pirates. Cervelli is always hurt. Kang is a disaster on and off the field. The bullpen had one of the top 15 worst ERAs since like 1972 until just a few days ago. Dickerson, Melky, Cervelli, Liriano, Lyles all on their way out the door. Searage is talked about as being a genius but he has ruined most of the Pirates young pitchers with their terrible “pitch to low contact” theory that obviously should never been used with Cole, Morton, Glasnow, as proven by their succes as soon as they left. Should also mention I was a partial season ticket holder for 20 seasons until this year, so how’ my attention span? Was that a thoughful post?
Not really,typical yinzer ranting.
You are just wordier than most.
I think that any true Pirate fan is frustrated with this team and the ownership and management.I was especially so in the off season when the big signing was Lonnie Chisenhall.NH could have easily signed several pitchers and a true ML shortstop on the cheap for depth and did not.Any ML GM should know to add this in the off season.Instead the Pirates get Rookie Davis and Brandon Mauer who the Royals released because he was the worst pitcher in the ML.
I salute you for hanging in there for twenty years.
I agree that this ownership and management team gives little reason of hope to get better.
But constant negativity does not add any intelligent ideas to any discussion.You can easily pick those posters out on this site.
No. just pure ignorance
Felipe, Polanco, Mitch Keller for Bellinger
Anyone who reads this has five years taken off their life.
Lol kinda like the principal on Billy Madison. We are all now dumber for having read his comment and may God have mercy on his soul….
That deal happens and all those above ripping this deal will,be,ripping the Bucs this time next year would be screaming that the Bucs gave up players with several controllable years each with Vasquez still a star, Keller a budding star and Palanco healthy again and back to an average to above average player all gone for one player that will be due for big bucks entering his arb years with no hope of ever extending and all will be crying that he will be traded away for nothing…….
But that deal would never happen and three good players for one great one is a big chance for both GMs.
Neither one needs to do it and neither would have the guts to try.
The Pittsburgh Pirates owner is a cheap azzzz. Just ask their fans and the players who now play on others teams.
You’d better arrange a kidnapping, because that’s the only way you get Bellinger.
hahaha, right on & perfectly expressed. I thing an earlier poster was right, anyone reading that trade suggestion lost 5yrs off our lives.
If I were the Pirates GM I would start the negotiating with the name Walker Buehler.
You would quickly find out how serious the Dodgers are.
That would definitely kill any deal right there.
See comments on Bellinger above.
I am old school, if I am giving you an All Star I want one in return. All the Dodgers starters are good so they can afford to give one up. Pirates need an ace and Buehler would fit the bill.
Then you’d better be giving up an Ace, because that’s not how that works. It doesn’t matter that the Dodgers have 3 good healthy starters, there is no means to justify even taking that conversation seriously.
And that mentality is why the old school concepts are becoming extinct
I am old school too,but even though Vasquez is controlled for a number of years,Buehler is even more so.
Buehler has a chance to be a star.Relievers are limited in that regard.
Starting pitching is still the key to success.
The Dodgers do not have to make a trade.Look at their record.They certainly do not need to trade a young controlled talented pitcher who has pitched extremely well for them.
The pirates just suck. They would trade a guy just to shed his contract and signifier return. The owner and Huntington are cheap skates. Bob, go blow yourself and buy some more papers.
Exactly. Like the Cutch deal. Or the Melancon deal.
Terrible trades for garbage returns just to avoid paying them.
Don’t ever let facts change that narrative.
Urias, despite the legal issue, isn’t going anywhere. He’s one of just a handful of Dodger pitchers who showed talent in the postseason. And with Kershaw looking like a #3 (maybe a #2 looking with our hearts) WS starter. He reminds me of Don Sutton in Dodger postseason. He had the heart but just was snake bitten in postseason. Kershaw has been not horrible but never consistent postseason performance.
You just don’t move a guy like as he is a player with WS experience and postseason success early in his career.
Who knows maybe Maeda can be the grumpy-reluctant setup guy. Maybe Baez has turned a corner away for the Arson Squad finally. He’s been more and more consistent of late.
An elite reliever would be great but the FO sucks in one area, evaluating relief pitchers in trades/FA.
Didn’t read all the posts but about 3/4 of the way down nothing actually would make the team better. The rotation is WS caliber and you can’t tear a cog outta that and expect to still have success. Off season, sure, just seems like a desperate move to trade any SP in current rotation.
Off-season Urias would bring a tin more if the FO feels he might end a distraction and poor image of a group that appears very above board and good teammates.
I can see this happening with Beaty for Vasquez straight up….. let’s be honest this is the Pittsburgh Pirates we are talking about!
Let’s really be honest you have no idea what you are talking about.
Dodger GM would get the same response from NH that NH would. Get if Buehler or Bellinger were in the initial request.
Too many posters really have no clue.
Yes because he’s got such a great track record smh
He works reasonably well within the confines of MLB rules and the financial constraints of ownership.
Like the Dodgers GM who has no such restraints.
Everything the Dodgers FO has done emulates the contrary to this comment. All these “rumors/rumblings” the Dodgers will sign players to these mega contracts has been speculation none of which have come to fruition. Instead the Dodgers have built one of the deepest systems in mlb in pretty short order I might say.
I do not necessarily disagree with your comment as you seem to be a Dodger fan and knowledgeable about them.
I am a Pirate fan and knowledgeable about them.
You disparaged the Pirate GM and I took exception to it.
Whether you realize it or admit it the Dodgers are operating under an entirely different set of financial constraints than the Pirates are.
That does not mean that they have unlimited funds.They have been smart in investing in their scouting and minor league coaching systems.
But the bottom line is that they have 2-3 times the amount of money to spend on players as the Pirates.
That is one tremendous advantage.
Agreed
Vaz is signed through 2021 at $5.5 mill per year. With 2 years of team options for 2022 and 2023. That’s one of the best values in all of baseball.
I’d keep him and wait for the best possible offer. He’s quite the asset. Also, Pirates are playing well lately. I’d ride out til we are absolutely out of it. Only 5 out of division and 4 for wild card. Healthy pitching staff would do it. They have the hitters.
The Astros have been playing poorly lately and the Pirates could not get more than one run off the one out of three good starting pitchers that they saw.
They need to beat the Brewers,Cardinals,and Cubs to be considered a reasonably good team.
We will find out in the next twenty three games whether or not they are a contender.