The Pirates announced that they have signed left-hander Génesis Cabrera to a major league contract. In corresponding moves, they have optioned right-hander Michael Darrell-Hicks and designated righty Hunter Stratton for assignment.
Cabrera, 28, has some major league success on his track record but has been inconsistent. Since he can’t be optioned to the minors, he has bounced around the league this year. He started the year with the Mets on a minor league deal. That club called him up and put him into six games before designating him for assignment. He cleared waivers, elected free agency and then signed with the Cubs. He made nine appearances for Chicago before the process repeated, with the southpaw again getting designated for assignment and electing free agency in recent days.
Between those two clubs, he has a 6.35 earned run average in 17 innings on the year. His 21.1% strikeout rate and 8.5% walk rate are both close to average but the home run has been a problem. He’s already allowed five, halfway to his personal high, a rate of 19.2% per fly ball.
Ultimately, it’s a small sample of work. As mentioned, he had good seasons in the past. In 2021, he tossed 70 innings for the Cardinals with a 3.73 ERA. His 12.2% walk rate was high but he struck out 26% of batters faced. In the years to come, his walk rate would stay a bit on the high side but the punchouts would oscillate. He only struck out 16.5% of batters faced in 2022, got that back up to 24.3% in 2023, but it dipped again to 18.5% last year.
The Pirates have lost two lefty relievers to the injured list, with Ryan Borucki and Tim Mayza both currently on the shelf. Cabrera can slot in alongside Caleb Ferguson and give the Bucs a second southpaw in the relief corps.
Stratton, 28, started the year with the Bucs on a minor league deal but cracked the Opening Day roster. He has since been shuttled to Triple-A and back a few times. He’s only been put into three big league games, allowing seven earned runs in 2 2/3 innings for an unsightly 23.63 ERA.
His Triple-A work has been far better, with a 3.65 ERA in 24 2/3 innings this year. He struck out 23.8% of batters faced at that level, walked 7.9% and generated grounders on 50% of balls in play. That’s more in line with his previous big league work. With the Bucs over 2023 and 2024, he tossed 49 2/3 innings with a 3.26 ERA, 21% strikeout rate, 4.9% walk rate and 41% ground ball rate.
He now heads into DFA limbo, which can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Pirates could take as long as five days to talk explore trade talks. He has a full slate of options and his numbers have generally been good, so he could appeal to a club looking for extra relief depth. He has less than three years of service time and has not been previously outrighted in his career, so he would not have the right to elect free agency if he passes through outright waivers unclaimed in the next week.
Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski, Imagn Images
Who?
He’s been around for years, decent arm for awhile but has been hit around the past couple of years.
Cabrera wasn’t horrible last year, though he had a pretty poor WHIP and FIP, which in my opinion, are two important stats for relievers.
Dang, had a lot of hope Stratton could be a solid bullpen piece. He was decent last year before his knee blew out. Thought his quick recovery was a good sign, guess it wasn’t.
Yet another chapter of genesis
The first chapter of the new Pirates begins with Genesis.
It’s a land of confusion.
I prefer the SEGA Master System.
Genesis gave up 9 runs in 9 1/3 innings so far, but I’m sure he’ll be super in ten though.
Maybe signing Gensis will be a revelation. Mark this date down. Hopefully he won’t need Tommy-John. His numbers might go down soon too or he may be headed for another exodus.
Pirates can feel it calling in the air tonight…
How about finding an offensive power hitting outfielder instead
you can’t win many games when you don’t score more runs than your opponent
Will Wander play baseball again? Or is he banished to the Mexican league like the disgraced Roberto Osuna and Trevor Bauer.
Unlike the others listed above, Yasiel Puig has rebuilt his image and desperately needs a 2nd chance..
Pretty sure the conviction will both prevent him from getting a work visa in the US and allow the Rays to officially void his contract (he’s been on the restricted list). The nature of the conviction may cause him similar issues in multiple other countries as well.
Meow, MLB will now hand down a suspension retroactive to the first day he was placed on the administrative list. I am sure it will be longer than Bauer’s suspension. He will be placed on the restricted list once he comes off suspension until he is released from jail. The Rays will then likely release him and eat the rest of his contract like the Dodgers did with Bauer. i am not sure that his visa issues would nullify his contract and Trump will no longer be in office so not likely to be as tough for baseball players and other athletes to get visas.
I missed a few things and got a few wrong.
When he comes off the MLB suspension if his two year suspended sentence in the DR is over, he will be eligible to come back to the Rays.
If he has visa issues, I am not sure that he would be eligible to be placed on the restricted list again and certainly none of this is enough to nullify his contract. Considering the number of other players with convictions that have been allowed to have visas. I am not sure the US government will block his entry as long as he has a job and he does.
The Rays can and likely will release him and eat the rest of his contract. I think the Pr backlash would be too great, just like it was with Bauer,
Puig is 34 and hit .213/.285 in 40 games and got released by his KBO team. That was his second chance.
When do Bauer, Steve Clevenger and Anthony Bass get a 2nd chance?
The day after hell freezes over.
Worth a shot for the Buccos. I don’t know if my fav team (the Reds) or the Pirates sign the leftovers a bit too much?
dumpster diving is a tradition of this General Manager
I do know about the Bucs and yes they do tend to put themselves in this position
On the first day, there was Cabrera
I’m a Genesis fan… the band, not the pitcher. The pitcher seems to me to think he’s a whole lot better than he is.
Pirates were 39-43 after 82 games last season and are 32-50 this season. How does their GM still have a job?
Movement for the Bucs. I can see the 7th inning let down now
Darrell-Hicks pitches 2 innings of no hit ball and gets optioned. Replaces him with a guy who pitches batting practice his last two outings. I’m sure he will come up with some excuse that this guy has better stuff.