The Pirates are acquiring infielder Yu Chang from the Guardians for cash considerations, according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Chang had been designated for assignment by the Guardians on Thursday.
This will be the first new organization for Chang, who has spent the entirety of his professional career with Cleveland so far. A native of Taiwan, Chang was signed as an international free agent in 2013 for a signing bonus of $500K and started playing Rookie ball before his 19th birthday. As he rose through the ranks of the minor leagues, he often hit well, especially for power. Baseball America considered him to be one of the top 30 prospects in Cleveland’s system for seven straight years from 2015 to 2021.
Unfortunately for Chang, he’s struggled to translate his skills to the major league diamonds thus far, in limited opportunities. Over the past four seasons, he’s gotten into 131 games and hit 10 home runs, producing an overall slash line of .208/.265/.372, 71 wRC+. The 26-year-old was designated for assignment last week, after exhausting his option years and his time with the Guardians.
Pittsburgh should be able to give Chang more opportunities to get into a groove than he saw in Cleveland, as they have a number of position players currently on the injured list. Ben Gamel just went on the IL today, joining Roberto Perez, Jake Marisnick, Yoshi Tsutsugo, Daniel Vogelbach, Kevin Newman and Greg Allen among hitters currently out of action due to injury. Chang has played all four infield positions during his time in the big leagues but is likely to get consideration for extended time at first base. Up until yesterday, every Pirates’ game this season had featured either Tsutsugo or Michael Chavis starting at first. With Tsutsugo on the IL and Chavis day-to-day with forearm discomfort, the club has put Josh VanMeter into the starting lineup yesterday and today, who has played first before but is much more experienced elsewhere. Shortly before the trade, Mackey relayed word from assistant general manager Kevan Graves, who said the club was looking to supplement the first base situation. With Vogelbach on the IL, the club is also missing its primary DH, freeing up more at-bats for whoever the club deems most worthy.
Enough to purchase a twelve pack. Anything more I doubt.
Outfielder Ben Gamel gets injured so we pick up…..a recently designated infielder. Gotta love the Bucs.
Every team works like that. They have deals in the works and they come through when they get done. Are they supposed to nix the deal with the infielder cuz an outfielder got injured? Ridiculous when fans complain about this basic stuff.
Dang you are right, how dare a fan make a comment on a baseball rumors website regarding a recent transaction. According to your first sentence I now know how every team works. It’s all so basic just like you said. Enjoy the trailer park pal.
Comment all you want, I just think your criticism is misguided and shows a lack of understanding. The freedom to express oneself runs both ways here. No need to get defensive. (Or to insult trailer parks? Seems quite unnecessary and egregious.)
Trailer park? What?
I suspect Lars knows all that and you’ll forgive me for saying your response was condescending. To some here, being “a fan” means being some type of “glass is three quarters full,” true believer that abhors criticism. This is especially true when “critique” of the Steelers comes to the fore
Sorry, we have a different view of fandom
As a fan, I go back to the late stages of the Forbes Field era and while I’ve seen many good and bad players, and front office types, and owners…come and go, the Pirates have never had ownership like this. While I believe Cherington has done an admirable job in working under a miserly owner, yes, some of the moves that involve the on-field MLB product are mind numbing, whether they fall into the category of standard operating procedure or not.
Meanwhile, I’ll ask your further forgiveness in saying that while the new company line entails trumpeting what’s coming through the minor leagues and bound for Pittsburgh in the next couple years, I’ve seen very little thus far to raise my optimism for a contending team anytime soon
No amount of true believing will change that until the ball club performs at a high level.
That’s not a “misguided criticism” but rather, the views of average baseball fans who see the reality of it all
Your response is misguided. I made a comment regarding a transaction, and just because you say my criticism isn’t warranted means nothing. Perhaps you lack understanding in what it is like to be a lifelong pirates fan.
I admit I can be condescending. And I stand by my critique. Teams make little moves all the time. Those moves don’t often match up exactly with who went on the IL a couple days ago. Every team does this. I know because I constantly see fans voicing this exact complaint about every team every time a small move is made. It’s based on a typical misunderstanding of how the game works not to mention business timelines in general. If that sounds condescending, so be it.
It is incredibly pretentious of you to pretend and actually put in writing that you understand the business timeline of baseball, which you did in the comment above. For all we know you work at Burger King. You are not in an MLB front office, so you actually have no idea of the typical understanding of how the game works, you are just some guy that likes the game like the rest of us and comments on a rumors website. How could you possibly understand how the game works better than everyone else? It’s ridiculous when fans think they are intelligent like this. I am really smart so I stand by my critique everyone.
So, I guess adult conversation is out of the question with you? Ok. Now I know.
Uh, do you know how the Pirates acquired Ben Gamel?
This is why I have two custom jerseys, one with the name DFA on the back and the other Pirates jersey says Waivers.
@formerdraftpick…grew up in the 70’s and those NL East Phillies/Pirates battles rocked…As for your current jersey selections…am sorry but…..GOLD Mahalo for the laugh
Why ?
Depth?
He’ll fit right into the mediocre middle infield rotation of Newman/VanMeter/Castillo/Castro/Marcano/Park/Tucker.
Van Meter batting clean up today. I doubt he’d bat clean up for a beer league softball team but there he is.
And Diego Castillo hitting fifth. That’s not a major league lineup.
Tired- You are wrong on this one.
Van Meter hit 697 for his beer league team last year in Florida batting cleanup.
This is where he got the experience playing first base,catching,and pitching.
He said that he thought it was that high because,while he would drink beer only after the game,the other teams quite often drank beer before and during the games.
The term “ fielder” is used loosely by the Pirates to connote any player who plays any position.
Mason Martin needs to be here at 1st. I don’t care if he strikes out 77% Still better than vanmeter
Agreed… What are the Pirates waiting for ? And how many utility infielders do they need ?
Yu Chang Clan!!!!
Yu Chang clan is for the Kids
Nice to see him go to another organization. Hopefully he gets a chance to break out.
Such a Dolan thing to do. Trade him for cash. Such a stooge.
He got traded for cash because he wasn’t worth any player
That’s how it works when you’ve been as terrible as Chang has. You’re worth pennies instead of a player. Only way he’s going to hit is if the pirates trade him to Arizona because spring training is the only talent he’s ever shown. He was even bad on all of Cleveland’s minor league affiliates, the people that said he was a top 30 organizational prospect were clearly wrong on this one. He needs shipped to the diamondbacks to see if the spring training numbers translate and then he’d actually be a MLB level player, if they do.
@woOBle – Cleveland designated him for assignment so they stood to receive nothing for him had he passed thru waivers (which he was going to). Dolan is someone who can’t refuse cash (even a very small amount) so he took the only offer that was on the table. They weren’t getting any sort of real prospect back for him so at least he made a deal that benefits the team’s (his) bottom line. Can’t blame him for that.
Chang was DFA’d when he lost his roster spot to Oscar Gonzalez. So he was likely on the move.
These aren’t ownership-level decisions, so Dolan has nothing to do with it. When players have praxtically no trade value, many times the money is not even a factor, it is just about getting the player to a better situation. As example, the Guardians reportedly sold Daniel Johnson to the Mets for $1 the other week.
Replace the ha with a yo and he’d be an anagram for Cy Young.
Pitching has gotten significantly better this month, but offense is still atrocious.
Is Cole Tucker as bad as I keep reading?
Tucker was moved all around rather than getting full time play at his natural shortstop position.He was never given a full time chance there.
He hit a home run in his first game up in 2019 and that was the worst thing for him that could have happened.
His Hollywood girlfriend relationship has probably taken away concentration from baseball.He has not gotten better over three years.
His hitting has been atrocious.
He started out badly in AAA when he was demoted three weeks ago.
Not sure that he has the wherewithal and hitting ability to be a ML player.
Can a team have too many infielders? The Pirates evidently aim to find out.
Monkey-You’re missing the point.The Pirates think that if you can play the infield you can also play the outfield.
There is no such thing as infielders and outfielders with the Pirates,just fielders.
I figured this out after watching poor Hoy Park get tossed into right field and then wandering around like a little leaguer.
If I’m Mason Martin, I’m pissed. The Pirates fans want to see the prospects who have performed well in AAA promoted. We’ve had enough recycling through other teams cast offs.
I would be ticked too, Bae and Madris should be annoyed as well considering how well they’ve performed over the past few weeks.
Madris has a 143 wRC+ this month. Bae, even better at 169. I cannot belive that Josh VanMeter is still platooning with Castillo at second base when it should be Bae. Get Bae here and let him share time with Diego at 2B. Get Madris up here and let him share time with either Suwinski or Mitchell in the corner OF. Get Martin here and kick Yoshi out. I love Yoshi, but you’re not saving any money by keeping him around. You’re only getting further into the sunk-cost fallacy.
What you said @mlb1225 🙂
Is it because…….service time?
I don’t think so because the Pirates trade them or DFA them anyway before arbitration. Might as well call them up so we can trade for more prospects.
The Pirates trade them a year or two before free agency if they cannot sign them to a long term contract.
That was their modus operandi before BC took over and will doubtlessly not change,
YU on a new team, CHANG !!
Me?
Have these clowns in the Pirates front office ever heard of Mason Martin? Yes, let’s go dumpster diving again instead of bringing up an actual prospect from AAA.
I think because he’s oneof Huntington’s boys he’s getting stiffed.
Service time
Pirates rather have him until age 30 and trade him on the decline to a team desperate for whatever position he plays in a playoff run, who will overpay to refill the next generation of tradeable assets once the contracts see set to expire
Which is what the other small market teams do also.
Yu Chang clan aint nuthin to F*** with
Braves- I apologize in advance for asking a personal question which may not even be allowed on this site but I need to know.
Do you have a friend named Braves Beavis?
Should have called up Mason Martin or Ji Hwan Bae at this point. This guy has a low ceiling and a low floor and to take ABs away from people with higher ceilings and similar floors under team control is embarrassing.
Low risk, low reward. This is how this organization runs. We’ve got several AAA players RIGHT NOW, that can improve this ball club, but we know the hold up people. That all important arbitration clock starts on these called up players. Difficult being a life long bucco fan……….
I usually have understood at least some rationale behind the Pirates picking players up on waivers but this one befuddles me.
They should have brought up an outfielder and a first baseman just to give them a taste of the ML like they have done in the past.
It is not like they cannot release at least 4 or 5 players off the 40 man roster.
If you understand the scattershot approach of the Pirates front office, you are a bigger man than me, Mendoza-din. All I’ve ever surmised is that they are such penny pinchers that anyone who is breathing is a potential target
And when it gets down to it, it’s moves like these that scream “there is not much difference in front office SOP” when they are taking their marching orders from a stingy owner
Tired-I think that we are both equally long time tired and suffering Pirate fans.I am not quite as jaded as you,but I seem to be getting there.
I do repeat though that this transaction begs the question “Why?”
Nutting would have no say in this,and this guy does not seem to even be as good as Hoy Park.
Is Cherington losing his mind?Does he have a fetish for poor to mediocre middle infielders?Does he think that they all can play the outfield?
Maybe this transaction fits the saying that not all things in life are explainable.
You know, I get the limitations of small market teams. I get the Moneyball theory has espoused by Billy Beane. I just don’t think even Billy makes some of the moves we see here. Unexplainable, for sure.
really should’ve just called up mason martin if they want a 1b on the roster.
In 189 PAs he has 11 doubles, 5 triples and 11 home runs.
Yes he strikes out a lot and walks little but his pro .849 OPS carried by his .504 SLG is crazy.
He’ll be 23 this week, give him a shot on his birthday and keep him up a week or two. Give him a taste until players come back at least.
I have a love affair with Mason. I don’t know if he’ll cut it but if that power translates and if he actually improved his speed a bit, watch out.
The Pirates tend to do things in an orderly manner,not thinking well out of the box.I agree that giving extended looks to minor leaguers that are not ready for ML pitching can be harmful to their eventual development or lack thereof.But I do not think that giving Martin say ten games at first base is going to harm him,and they would eventually add him to the 40 man roster anyway.
They did do this with Will Craig last year and found out what they thought that they had.In Martin’s case at worst a taste of the ML is only bound to be helpful since it will start to show him what he needs to know and change to be a productive ML hitter.
I go round and round with this conundrum and your idea is the answer, of course. I don’t believe 8 or 10 games with the big team is going to harm a player. At present, I guess this is my biggest gripe. If they are so loaded at the minor league level, and if you’re obviously not going to contend, then why not run the shuttle between here and Indy? Instead, we have guys like Van Meeter and various other castaways taking up roster spots
I understand the under the MLB “financial plan,” attendance isn’t a make or break deal for any owner, which is amazing in itself. But you’d think there is a more common sense approach where the young guys are concerned
Tired- Not to despair.These young guys will be up later this year.Many of them are new to AAA,and the FO May want to see how they play there first.I do think that within a year or two the endless negative comments from the big spending team posters will abate and they will move on to some other unfortunate team.I do think that the Pirates will return to being “competitive” and having winning records,but not at the level that the 2013-2015 teams did.And you saw how that turned out.
I thought about the Bucs 1960,71,and 79 teams.Each one had three superstars on them and good supportive players,plus good pitching.During the last period,McCutcheon was basically the only superstar,and the pitching was good.They of course had bad luck in meeting Bumgarner and Arrieta,but they did not have the superstar hitters to give them a chance.
The proof is in the pudding and you are seeing the normal hype with these young players.Unless the Pirates get lucky though we will not have a championship team for many many years.Money rules now.
With Cleveland’s luck,Chang will end up the next Aguilar or Naquin. More giving away and getting nothing in return. Every time they trade with the Bucs they get handled. Look at the past.
Vince-In all honesty I think that the Pirates would have been better off getting You than Yu.
Thanks my friend
Don’t know if anyone is still following this thread but the last couple games is clear example of why the team should simply play the kids. Do it now
Contreras pitching. Hayes, Castillo, Suwinski, Marcano and Brian Reynolds, to boot, with Bednar closing
I do not get tired of following tiredolddude’s posts.
I am concerned about the microscopic batting averages of some of these young guys.
Could the starting pitching have turned into decency?
If Keller gets consistently respectable then we will know it has!.