The Pirates announced the acquisition of left-hander Josh Walker from the Mets for rookie ball pitcher Nicolas Carreno. The Mets designated the lefty for assignment last week. The Bucs had an open 40-man spot and didn’t need to make a corresponding move.
Walker, 29, spent just over a year on the Mets’ 40-man roster. He was selected in May of 2023 and spent most of the time until his DFA on optional assignment. To this point, he has 22 1/3 major league innings on his ledger, having allowed 6.45 earned runs per nine. He has a 22.3% strikeout rate, 11.7% walk rate and 36.8% ground ball rate so far.
As if often the case, the minor league work has been more impressive. Between last year and this year, he has a 2.33 ERA in 58 innings at the Triple-A level. His 13.8% walk rate there is certainly high but he’s also punched out 32.1% of batters faced.
The lefty can still be optioned for the rest of this year and one additional season, so the Bucs are bolstering their left-handed relief depth. They currently have Aroldis Chapman and Jalen Beeks as their southpaws in the big league bullpen but both are impending free agents. As is Ryan Borucki, who is on the injured list. Walker has less than a year of service time and could be a long-term piece if he hangs onto his roster spot.
The 18-year-old Carreno has started eight games in the Dominican Summer League this season. He’s a 5’10” left-hander out of Venezuela.
Robert Murray of FanSided reported the trade terms before the announcement.
best deadline ever
FLOODGATES OPEN, BABY!
Mets are selling
He’s a dfa. That’s not selling
Cool, glad you pointed that out for me. I was thinking Alonso was next if you didn’t chime in.
If you’re being sarcastic I’m not sure why you made your initial comment. If not, then ignore.
My initial comment was me being sarcastic. Obviously a dfa trade isn’t a sign a team is selling.
“Obviously”
Remember where you are.
Pirates making big moves
The mets got a player for him? Lol.
Another lefty chapmen is going to get moved
You were 1 minute before the report that the Pirates aren’t expecting to move Chapman. I was with you on that.
How is his swing?
Pretty good if he is facing hader.
You know what they say, Ben cherington is one of the dumpster divers of all time
Controllable depth. Doubt they gave up anything of significance. Might even be the classic cash considerations.
This is a trade meant to support the ML roster in 2025.
Why did we release Fleming again?
He elected free-agency rather than reporting to AAA. Pirates didn’t release him. Part of the CBA that he has that option after being DFA multiple times in one season. If he doesn’t find a new team he may re-sign with the Pirates a-la Domingo German.
Why did we DFA him though? He was pitching well and had a 1.34 era after returning? I can’t remember who came back.
It was when Hunter Stratton came off of the IL. You can’t keep everyone. Fleming is a fringe roster type. Pirates have several more of those in AAA if they need an arm.
This guy is fringe also
Who? Walker?
Walker has options and will be sent to AAA. Fleming didn’t have options remaining so had to be DFA.
Fleming was supposed to get LHB out. Instead, he was a combustion catalyst.
.588 OPS vs RHB
1.065 OPS vs LHB
What the Mets are doing to their bullpen is interesting.
Cmon. Somebody do something.
Depth piece. Maybe they see something on him for the future.
yeah probably his salary
And there is much rejoicing in the Steel City !! Another Blockbuster Move !!
This is a great move by the Mets. Walker will blow 3 to 4 winnable games for the Pirates. Less competition now
Lmao
At the rate the current offense is going, he won’t have a lead to protect
FG has him at #19 in the Mets system:
A late-round Division II success story, Walker rocketed through the minors in 2021, pitched at Triple-A during parts of the next few years and debuted in Flushing in 2023 before an oblique strain sent him to the 60-day IL. He’s been back and forth from Syracuse to Citi Field a few times in 2024. A lefty with a great frame, Walker has a stiff overhand delivery that generates depth on a good curveball despite it lacking much spin. It’s a nasty enough pitch to play as a backfoot weapon against righties, as well as in a left-on-left capacity. He’s also had a little velo uptick in the early going of 2024, and his ability to consistently locate his heater to the top of the zone has helped it garner a chase rate north of 40% this year. He looks like a stable middle reliever.
A casualty of roster crunch, I guess.
Would hardly call this dumpster diving.
“FG has him at #19 in the Mets system:”
Kind of surprised to see that. He’s a 30 year old reliever who started chasing velo and Ks a couple of years ago, which has led to a big uptick in walks. It’s also hard to take his AAA numbers all that seriously. Mets have had a lot of relievers with great numbers at AAA (Walker, Sulser, Jay, Festa, Orze) that have blown up almost immediately after getting called up. All the best to him.
I am also surprised. I thought it was another Josh Walker at first. But no; this is the guy at #19. I don’t see a #19 here either. I doubt the Mets do.
Their rankings tend to deviate from other major outlets.
anytime a player is “ traded “ after he’s been released, the term for that is indeed, dumpster diving
Probably means that Borucki had a setback in his rehab. That combined with Fleming electing free-agency, the Pirates are probably building left-handed depth in case Beeks or Chapman were to be injured. Can never have too many pitchers. Building depth for the stretch run.
I hope that they get rid of the walker of the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth.
If Stearns can get an even a DSL Hail Mary for Walker, perhaps he can get the same for Diekman and Ottavino. 4 hours left
Let me say it again; the Pirates are a pathetic joke of a franchise
Cheap billionaire owner & dummies below him. Team is 2 games out of wild card & they’re afraid to make any moves. Been following Bucs for over 50 years if they don’t add any bats I’m done with them
Let’s go Steelers & Pens
The Pirates only get a legit shot once every 10 or 15 years to make the playoffs. This is one of those years. If they don’t somehow add a bat to their pathetic offense, that is very sad for Pirate fans (all three of you).
there’s probably 5 of us that I know of
I just want to clarify that being a fan of your stadium does NOT make me a fan of your team.
I have been a Pirate fan since 1966, even attended games at Forbes Field. I witnessed Willie Stargell hitting a home run over the right field roof becoming only the second player to accomplish this. The other was Babe Ruth
I also held season tickets for 30 years and watched home games in both Three Rivers Stadium and PNC Park
What have you achieved in watching baseball, television broadcasts don’t count
None of that is true lol. They made the playoffs three years in a row within the last decade. I know you’re trolling, and it’s a solid job. But, I feel like others won’t realize that you are lmao.
I’m a pirate die hard like tired and man..but I’m so fed up with what is not happening…it’s pathetic…buctober are you related to Nutting, and the MORON Shelton and the other MORON cHERRYington?
LMAO that’s a solid effort. I give it a B. You laid it on a little too thick. Outed yourself too easily.
You’re the one who’s trolling, pal
A smart a$$ who’s come here looking for trouble. Love your “playoffs” comment.
You need to reel it in, buddy. I’m sorry that my knowledge and facts annoy you, but there is no need for name calling. I’m not looking for trouble, I’m correcting the ones that are. Stop being negative and picking fights, it’s unbecoming of you.
Who hires a MORON manager???? That’s easy a MORON general manager. CHERRYington, WE NEED HITTING NOT ANOTHER FLUNKY PITCHER….DAM THIS GUY IS A TOTAL IDIOT. IN FACT PIRATE UPPER MANAGEMENT AND COACHING ARE ALL IDIOTS.
JOSH BELL WOULD HAVE BERN BETTER THAN NOTHING. NOW THE MESSAGE THE PIRATES ARE SENDING TO THE FANS IS EAT YOU KNOW WHAT…AND THE MESSAGE HE SENDS TO THE TEAM IS..WE DINT CARE
there’s still 2-1/2 hours until the end of the deadline, Bucco
They might just surprise us ( but probably won’t)
Hey man..only thing that would surprise me is if NUTJOB NUTTING would invite small hands to sit in the dugout besides MORON SHELTON. Then cutch slams a foul ball into the dugout and MORON ducks. The ball hits small hands in the head. FAUX NEWS CUTS IN AND BLAMES HARRIS
Listening to shelton,cherrington and Nutting talk at interviews…is like Listening to small hands at his rally…all lies
I’m guessing pirate management manages under the MORONS CODE…
Sports Illustrated has reported that the Bucs pulled out of the negotiations for Rays’ infielder Diaz so that’s another impact player who won’t be coming to Pittsburgh
No reason was provided
Rays probably wanted the pirates 40th and 50th rated players…cherrington said 2 expensive…pathetic
Agree with The Man, fan since 1966 also been to Forbes Field. This is absolutely embarrassing if they do nothing but add a DFA’d pitcher & a AAA INF. The owner & management is a joke, going to quit getting excited only for these morons to sit on their wallets. I’m done
You know I’m not a big fan of people to quit going to the games. Or quit buying merchandise or quit listening to the games. But I think it’s time to totally boycott the pirates. Nutting is joke. Cherrington is a joke.
If I were skenes,keller and Johnson I would demand a trade. Might as well ho to a team
that wants to win. At least Huntington tried to better the team when he traded for archer. Even though it was a disaster. This team is on the verge,with a little infusion of at least one hitter. Shades of 2015 again. Shame to call up scrubs like Williams,when your farm system is supposed to be so good.
All these young arms they have. Why not call them up. You can have the greatest pitching staff in the world. But with a offense of Joe,Hayes,Palacios etc. Best you can do is 500. And that’s what the pirates are.
So nutjob Nutting, here’s hoping you get hemorrhoids with that bag of money you sit on.