Keone Kela has been out of action since May 4 when the Pirates placed him on the 60-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. One of their key deadline additions from last season, it seems Kela will be ready to rejoin the team right around deadline time once again. The Pirates sent him to Triple-A Indianapolis on a rehab assignment last week, and he could be ready for game action with the Pirates within the week, per Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter).
Kela was tremendous for the Pirates in 16 appearances last season after coming over from Texas. This season was more of a mixed bag: he’ll carry a 4.63 ERA (5.71 FIP) whenever he returns to game action. The 26-year-old endured a rough stretch in early April, but he’d run up a streak of six consecutive scoreless outings before hitting the injured list. On his rehab assignment he’s been roughed up a bit (13.5 H/9), but the stuff is there as he has struck out seven batters in 3 1/3 innings.
The Pirates bullpen could use the boost, as they’ve been a bottom-10 unit by ERA, xFIP, and fWAR this season. Bullpen coach Euclides Rojas is tasked with getting this previously-strong group back on track as they’ve fallen particularly prone to missing the strike zone this year, ranking 29th in the majors with 4.34 BB/9. Kela’s been dogged at times by control issues himself, but if he returns as he’s been in 2018-19, he’ll strengthen the bridge between the Pittsburgh starters and closer Felipe Vazquez.
The trade rumors continue to swirl around Vazquez, of course, despite the Pirates insistence that their closer is not on the market. Were the Buccos to move Vazquez, a healthy Kela might be first in line to replace him. Vazquez is on a great contract, however, and the Pirates are still within shouting distance of the playoffs, trailing both the division and wild card by only five games.
Perfect time to trade Vasquez to either the Dodgers for Urias, May and Ruiz, to the Rays for Honeywell, Liberatore and McClanahan or to Atlanta for Wright, Anderson and Guhara. These teams should be in a bidding war at this moment.
Congrats…You posted this over five minutes ago and no fan has chimed in to tell u all those guys plus Lux, Smith, (the rest of LA’s top 30) and their grandma’s cookie recipe are untouchable, you’re crazy/moronic, obviously don’t watch baseball, closers are too volatile/overrated, you’re just trying to make up for the crappy Archer deal, teams don’t make those Chapman trades anymore, they’d all rather have Smith, Greene, Yates, etc.
I think I covered all of them, might be a few I missed.
Pirates obtained Vasquez and Kela as a result of trading Melancon. Pitching will replicate itself again for Pittsburgh for sure in a few days.
If you’re going to lump the two Taylor Hearn trades together you should include Texas getting Sherten Apostel in the Kela deal too.
Yep. He may have been an add on to Hearn but he has the looks of a very legitimate prospect. Was just promoted to High A Down East this week after being on fire for about 3 months.
He crushed the Dominican League. Hit too many homers in the first half of the season that nobody pitched to him the second half and he took the walks instead of swinging outside the zone
Urias, May, and Ruiz?! Not sure what you’re smokin but I hope you’re sharing. Urias is a future starter/ace and current lock down reliever who can go multiple innings. I can guarantee he is not available. Urias alone is better than Vasquez. Dodgers wouldn’t trade him for the entire pirates bullpen.
tough break on your bullpen breaking down when it counts the past few years. I guess 2nd place is good enough in your opinion… From my vantage point as a Pirates fan, I’m certainly envious of your second place ceiling. But then again, you guys have one more ring than us.
If the dodgers don’t want to pony up for a stud closer, have fun losing in the playoffs again.
Always loved this rebuke whenever it’s applied and especially when applied to what an LA fan considers a vast over pay.
You don’t want the entire Pirates bullpen, it’s been bad outside of Vazquez. However in return for Vazquez I could see one of Urias, May, or Ruiz as a headliner of the deal. If Ruiz is the headliner Pirates would probably want near MLB pitching as the secondary piece like Gonsolin or Santana plus a lottery ticket with some potential. If either pitcher is the headliner I’m guessing Bucs ask for Will Smith as the second piece and an organizational filler player just to add a third name for PR sake.
I don’t know how to make this more clear. Urias is not available. For anyone. He’s not a prospect. He’s probably the most valuable part of the CURRENT bullpen. It would make zero sense to deal him. No one disagrees that Vasquez is worth a major haul of prospects. But Urias is not going anywhere. Kenley Jansen would be included before Urias.
How do you know he isn’t available lol? You have an in with the f.o.?
He is Urias, he doesn’t want to play for the Pirates
Same way I know Bellinger is not available. Also, see above. You don’t trade a guy who is a future starter, and current major contributor to the bullpen, when you’re trying to improve your bullpen. He’s also the only lefty in the pen (depending on if Ferguson has been called up or sent down).
Fair, just spitballing this conversation from the original poster and your response. I could see Ross Stripling instead of Urias in that scenario but the third piece would be more than organizational depth then.
Nobody is going to take Jansen and his maxed out contract unless the Dodgers pay most of it or add someone like Lux or May to the deal. 18 and 20 million for two years of a reliever is pretty untradeable. Or roughly 5 million less than four years of Vazquez
Correction, it’s about 5 mil more than Vazquez’ remaining contract
Perfect deal for both teams! Maybe the Dodgers sweeten up the deal with Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler, and Gavin Lux too! Clown.
Haha. Exactly.
Haha those trade offers are ridiculous. Did I miss where Vazquez has won the last 5 Cy Young awards or something?
One of the best relievers in baseball, left handed, financial certainty till 2023, none of those years cost more than 10 mil a season, and when his contract ends he’s still 31 years old so you’re getting his theoretical prime. It ain’t gonna be cheap.
Other than Vazquez the Pirate bullpen has mostly been an inconsistent mess. Crick was good early but lately terrible. Liriano has been mostly good but every few batters he seemingly forgets how to throw a strike. Rodriguez and Feliz both had terrible starts, then were very good for awhile, now back to being bad. They badly need Kela to return soon, and to return to last year’s form.
See, it took a couple hours, but they eventually showed up.
If the Dodgers want to make an absurd offer (Ruiz, Lux, May and another SP prospect) then sure, listen. Maybe the Braves if they want to offer a bunch of their good pitching prospects, not the ones who now seem like busts.
But if the Pirates trade Vazquez and Marte, then they need to trade Bell, too. If you trade any of them, trade all of them. And Archer, too. Then Kela next summer, as well.
Right now, there are a lot of good pieces in place for 2020 and 2021. If you keep them, you need to find some more pitching. Taillon is the wild card. Kuhl and Santana are coming back, they can’t be counted on, but if either or both regains form, that’s big. Go on a dumpster diving Spring Training invite spree to give Searage as many chances as possible. Trade Dickerson or Cabrerra (or both) trade Kang, trade Lyles. Trade them for prospects and then flip those prospects or the ones in your own system that they displace for relievers that have 2020 control. Add to the team and make a run.
But don’t go in between. Trading away one or two of your best players for some prospects but not enough doesn’t get you anywhere. Either keep them or trade them all.
Trading Marte cause he has reached his ceiling and maxed out to team like braves for a package around pache don’t mean we should trade Bell. A healthy Jameson and Poloanco will go along way towards retooling next year
And if Pache turns out to be the next Juan Legares instead of the next Starling Marte, you still don’t win, but wasted Bell’s max value.
Vazquez is under the Pirates control longer than Bell. Trading him and Marte all ensures the team won’t win within Bell’s window. Keep them all or trade them all…IF and only if someone wants to overpay.
Vazquez I super cheap no way you move him
Move Vazquez only if you get good you kids in return, if not keep him and could still trade him in winter