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Pirates Trade Nik Turley To Athletics

By Steve Adams | January 14, 2021 at 1:18pm CDT

The Pirates have traded left-hander Nik Turley to the Athletics in exchange for cash, per an announcement from the A’s. Pittsburgh designated Turley for assignment earlier this week upon claiming outfielder Troy Stokes Jr. from Detroit.

Turley, 31, tossed 21 2/3 innings with the Pirates this past season but struggled to keep runs off the board and to limit free passes. Between that Pirates stint and a similarly brief look with the Twins back in 2017, the southpaw carries a career 7.78 ERA with 33 strikeouts and 19 walks in 39 1/3 frames.

Unsightly as those numbers may be, Turley has elite spin rates on his curveball and particularly on his four-seam fastball, which checked in at an average of 94.5 mph in 2020. He’s also posted strong numbers in the upper minors. His 2017 minor league output with the Twins was particularly encouraging, as he worked to a 2.05 ERA with a superlative 124-to-29 K/BB ratio in 92 innings. Turley struck out a whopping 34.5 percent of hitters he faced between Double-A and Triple-A that season while walking just 8.1 percent of his opponents.

Turley hasn’t pitched in the minors since that 2017 showing, however. An 80-game PED suspension wiped out the first half his 2018 season after the Pirates claimed him from the Twins, and he was immediately placed on the 60-day injured list upon being activated thanks to an elbow strain he sustained while ramping up toward the end of his suspension window. He ultimately required Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2019 campaign as well.

Turley is out of minor league options, so if he survives the winter on Oakland’s 40-man roster, he’ll have to break camp with the club or else again be exposed to waivers. He’ll give the A’s another lefty to pair with Jake Diekman, who could be the favorite for ninth-inning work now that Liam Hendriks has departed for the White Sox in free agency.

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Nik Turley Oakland Athletics Pittsburgh Pirates Transactions

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50 comments
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Comments

  1. cheeryvladdy

    2 weeks ago

    The fire sale continues!

    1 Like
    Reply
    • frustratedpittsburghpiratesfan

      1 week ago

      When will MLB wake up and see what Pirates business model is?

      Would rather trade for cash vs prospects,etc. Good grief!

      Like
      Reply
  2. Tatsumaki

    2 weeks ago

    A’s next unknown closer.

    3 Like
    Reply
  3. schwender

    2 weeks ago

    Things about Nik Turley:

    He was born on 9/11 … in 1989
    He’s not Canadian, but is from La Canada
    He didn’t go to Harvard but went to Harvard-Westlake
    He’s the fifth oldest player on the A’s
    The only A’s player that had pro-baseball contract before Nik Turley was Jake Diekman
    He’s a last round draft pick
    Despite popular myth, there is no “C” in Nik Turley

    That is every fact about Nik Turley

    13 Like
    Reply
    • PapiElf

      2 weeks ago

      His middle name is Carlyle

      1 Like
      Reply
      • stymeedone

        2 weeks ago

        So the C is just in a different place, Nik C Turley.

        2 Like
        Reply
    • DarkSide830

      2 weeks ago

      he’s a distant relative of Bob Turley

      Like
      Reply
    • HalosHeavenJJ

      2 weeks ago

      This is awesome.

      Like
      Reply
    • Marty McRae

      2 weeks ago

      Best post of 2021 on here by a long, long way….

      Like
      Reply
    • RobM

      2 weeks ago

      Another to add: He is a distant relative of NY Yankee pitcher Bob Turley. I only know this since he was drafted by the Yankees and was always curious if there was a connection.

      Like
      Reply
      • bobtillman

        2 weeks ago

        Isn’t he Manny Machado’s brother in law?

        Like
        Reply
        • DarkSide830

          2 weeks ago

          ha!

          Like
          Reply
  4. DarkSide830

    2 weeks ago

    Diekman as closer…looks good after last year, but its Jake Diekman we’re talking about here.

    1 Like
    Reply
  5. Caleb Clark

    2 weeks ago

    Can you all post something about the International Signings that are happening. I think Heyman has tweeted about 2-3 by now.

    1 Like
    Reply
    • Steve Adams

      2 weeks ago

      Those agreements have been known for months, first reported by Ben Badler over at Baseball America. We’ll do some type of roundup of notable international signings tomorrow, but international deals for teenage kids aren’t a huge point of focus for us — due largely to pushback from readers when we used to focus more heavily on them.

      For what it’s worth, we noted the Astros and Pedro Leon nearly a year ago, when the agreement was first reported:

      mlbtraderumors.com/2020/02/quick-hits-young-torre-…

      Not a knock on Heyman or anything, but nothing he’s reporting is new.

      1 Like
      Reply
      • RobM

        2 weeks ago

        I’d have no issue if you guys covered those signings too, although I also subscribe to BA, so I don’t actually expect those signings here.

        Like
        Reply
    • GangGreen23

      2 weeks ago

      Hi Caleb, I think Tomorrow is the official start of the International players Signing day.

      Like
      Reply
    • Dunk Dunkington

      2 weeks ago

      Here is where the top 10 international guys will be signing tomorrow;

      Cespedes – White Sox
      Wilman Diaz – Dodgers
      Christian Hernandez – Cubs
      Carlos Colmenarez – Rays
      Pedro Leon = Astros
      Armando Cruz – Nationals
      Jesus Galiz – Yankees
      Ricardo Perez – Phillies
      Yiddi Cappe – Marlins

      1 Like
      Reply
      • DarkSide830

        2 weeks ago

        that’s Cappe bro, that’s Cappe

        Like
        Reply
  6. tom brunanskys black sock

    2 weeks ago

    A lot of people maligning this deal, but it’s clearly Turley to tell.

    11 Like
    Reply
    • NYYstateofmind

      2 weeks ago

      Fouled away, the count on tommy black Sox remains 0 & 2

      Like
      Reply
      • tom brunanskys black sock

        2 weeks ago

        Hope ya like bean dip

        Like
        Reply
        • NYYstateofmind

          2 weeks ago

          Called strike 3! Tommy goes down looking, again.

          Like
          Reply
        • tom brunanskys black sock

          2 weeks ago

          You have plenty of room for improvement if you’re going to reach the groupie levels of your fellow buzzing gnats lolmetzy and GuestsOrWhatever. Go lap in the wake of someone else, you unenterprising lummox.

          1 Like
          Reply
        • NYYstateofmind

          2 weeks ago

          Lol, love your lexicon & how you’re always throwing out big $10 words, not only am I a lummox but an unenterprising one at that. I’ll keep trying while you ponder this,

          “It’s unbelievable how much you don’t know about the game you’ve been playing your whole life.” – Mickey Mantle

          Like
          Reply
        • tom brunanskys black sock

          2 weeks ago

          You wanna hurt me? Go right ahead if it makes you feel any better. I’m an easy target. Yeah, you’re right, I talk too much. I also listen too much. I could be a cold-hearted cynic like you… but I don’t like to hurt people’s feelings. Well, you think what you want about me; I’m not changing. I like… I like me. My wife likes me. My customers like me. ‘Cause I’m the real article. What you see is what you get.

          1 Like
          Reply
        • NYYstateofmind

          2 weeks ago

          Hey pal, I’m not trying to hurt you, actually I think a lot of your posts are pretty clever & funny. I was just trying to defend myself after you came at me like a spider monkey yesterday. Truce?

          Like
          Reply
        • tom brunanskys black sock

          2 weeks ago

          You’re the guy who tried to get my cab. I knew I knew you! You scared the bejesus out of me. Come to think of it it was easy to get a cab during rush hour.

          1 Like
          Reply
        • lolzmets

          2 weeks ago

          That’s like the 5th time with the John Candy. If you’re going to copy and paste, then re-use your “hey guys it’s so great that I’m not a racist” post. Now THAT was hilarious! Then everyone can pat you on the back and say “Hey Xabial, you are so noble. We learned from you today”! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

          Like
          Reply
        • tom brunanskys black sock

          2 weeks ago

          Funny enough, I was just talking to my friend about that. Our speedometer has melted and as a result it’s very hard to see with any degree of accuracy exactly how fast we were going.

          1 Like
          Reply
        • NYYstateofmind

          2 weeks ago

          Yea you’re right pal, that was me, I was trying to rush home b4 the hookers got there, I’ll buy you a drink the next time I see ya in the city.

          Like
          Reply
        • bobtillman

          2 weeks ago

          Your wife is having an affair with Bill Barr and your customers are waiting for your bankruptcy.

          Have a nice day.

          Like
          Reply
        • Mrtwotone

          2 weeks ago

          I love dynamite drop in Monty

          1 Like
          Reply
        • tom brunanskys black sock

          2 weeks ago

          I love you too, buddy.

          Like
          Reply
  7. hammertime510

    2 weeks ago

    Watch Turley outperform Hendriks lol

    3 Like
    Reply
  8. HalosHeavenJJ

    2 weeks ago

    This being the A’s, he’ll turn into a gem.

    1 Like
    Reply
  9. esaskgd2

    2 weeks ago

    This move will fill the PNC Park

    Like
    Reply
  10. julyn82001

    2 weeks ago

    Cheap twins: A’s and Pirates! Time to sale both franchises for the better part of their fans, c’mon!

    Like
    Reply
    • theodore glass

      2 weeks ago

      What about the Rays and Indians.

      Like
      Reply
  11. stymeedone

    2 weeks ago

    Not twins, the A’s win!

    1 Like
    Reply
  12. YourDreamGM

    2 weeks ago

    Great pick up. Guy misses bats. Will see, but pirates couldn’t find a weaker player to drop.

    Like
    Reply
    • DarkSide830

      2 weeks ago

      he’s also 31 and is probably only doing anything of value because he’s juiced again. explains why he broke out in 2017.

      Like
      Reply
  13. Marty McRae

    2 weeks ago

    Will be the A’s closer by September.

    Also will have a sub-2.00 ERA.

    Because it’s the A’s, they do this with relievers.

    1 Like
    Reply
    • lolzmets

      2 weeks ago

      Been eating good Marty McGravy?!

      Like
      Reply
  14. parts unknown

    2 weeks ago

    for cash that Nutting will use to buy a ps5 for himself….

    1 Like
    Reply
    • Shannon Wolfe

      2 weeks ago

      Nope. He is saving that cash for a new ski lift

      1 Like
      Reply
  15. WereAllJustGuestsHere

    2 weeks ago

    He was pretty good in MLB The Show 16.

    Like
    Reply
  16. doug c

    2 weeks ago

    nutting wallet geting cash to help out with bonuses

    1 Like
    Reply
    • frustratedpittsburghpiratesfan

      1 week ago

      This crap of Pirates trading players for cash has to be stopped.

      Like
      Reply
  17. jessaumodesto

    2 weeks ago

    Finally making some big moves!

    Like
    Reply

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