The Pirates are selecting right-hander Cam Sanders, according to a report from Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register. Alex Stumpf of MLB.com confirms that report, adding that right-hander Johan Oviedo is set to be optioned to the minors to make room for Sanders on the active roster. The Pirates have multiple 40-man roster vacancies, so no additional corresponding transaction will be necessary.
Sanders, 28, was a 12th-round pick by the Cubs back in 2018. He’s spent the past four seasons bouncing between the Double- and Triple-A levels with the Cubs and Pirates. He’s typically posted excellent numbers at Double-A and poor numbers at Triple-A and ultimately converted from starting to relief work with the Cubs last year. Now in the Pirates organization after electing minor league free agency over the winter, he’s looked utterly dominant in the upper minors with a 1.90 ERA in 18 appearances at Double-A to go with a nearly identical 1.93 ERA in 15 appearances at the Triple-A level.
Between the two levels, Sanders has punched out 30.5% of his opponents in 42 1/3 innings of work this year. Walks have been a problem for Sanders in the past, as he surrendered free passes at an unplayable 22.4% clip at Triple-A last year. He’s kept them under control this year, however, with a 12.0% walk rate overall that drops to just 9.7% when looking only at Triple-A. Sanders will need to continue throwing strikes if he’s to survive in the majors, but the quality of his stuff gives him possible late-inning upside if he can continue to show even passable command. He’ll now join a relief corps that recently lost closer David Bednar at this year’s trade deadline and will vie for work with the likes of Dauri Moreta, Kyle Nicolas, and Yohan Ramirez.
As for Oviedo, the right-hander made his first big league appearance since 2023 yesterday in a start against the Giants but surrendered two runs in one inning of work after walking three and striking out three. Acquired from the Cardinals in the Jose Quintana trade back in 2022, Oviedo posted a solid 4.31 ERA in 31 starts for the Pirates the following year and looked like a viable #4 starter of the future for the club before being sidelined by Tommy John surgery. He has a 3.12 ERA in six rehab starts in the minor leagues this year, but judging off yesterday’s difficult return he may need some more time to build up before returning to the majors in a more permanent role. The Pirates have Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Andrew Heaney, and Mike Burrows holding things down at the big league level in rotation for the time being.
Pirates sure love their pitchers named Cam
But they LOVE him!
Seeing guys fulfill theyr lifelong dream is always cool.
Kid has obviously worked hard in the minors to make this happen.
Nice to see a guy like Saunders get a chance. The Pirates have found some pretty decent diamonds in the rough the last few years with guys like Sanders. He has some good results, is getting a lot of swings and misses, and isn’t getting hit hrad at Triple-A so far, so why not give him a chance?
The numbers for this guy look pretty nasty, worth a shot. But I swear they are bringing up everyone but Chandler. Are they scared of looking bad if he has a hard time??
he is already having a hard time
Not doing well enough to have to be called up. Since they are losers they don’t need him. Can only throw so many innings this year. Wait a month to have chance at draft pick. Wait until mid April to get an extra year.
Why would they call up Chandler on a day he’s not scheduled to pitch? You bring up an extra bullpen arm (especially a guy who’s earned it) until you need that starter and then you call him up.
it’s not a question specific to today, it’s a valid question from fans who believe a pitcher to be ready to go at the MLB level but is still held back.
Service time manipulation. Rookie eligibility for following year.
Orioles doing it year in and year out
I m not sure of those specific rules, but does service time for Chandler matter for the rest of this year? Also, Chandler has struggled his last couple of starts.
It’s up to Chandler to make them call him up. Last year he needed innings. This year he’s been inconsistent as well as Barco. He needs to put up some consistent numbers. Sure as bad as this years been, I’d love to see him too. Manipulation of service time possible? No doubt.
He’s way way past getting super 2 status. This team isnt winning 65 games… call him up and let him pitch stress-free in front of 9000 people.
If he gets called up early next year, he might get ROY votes and earn the service time back
If he gets into enough games this year he could not win the ROY award.
Oviedo promotion was a mistake. Why not Chandler? Oviedo thrown into the fire for some reason when he wasn’t ready. Such a poorly run organization.
He was ready but was over throwing . Threw 44 pitches I 1 inning but 3 Ks because they had to use several relievers last night the need a pen arm . Oviedo will be back in the 15days to start and should be much more calm. Chandler had a rough June and an un even July. Not quite ready.
Why call up Bubba now and lose draft pick chance and throw away a year. Would be stupid.
I wouldn’t. Just pointing out that he is not A’s ready as fans think he is.
You are correct. But even if he is ready and Skenes 2.0 if you wait 4 weeks he can win ROY and get you a pick after 1st round. Wait a dozen weeks and you get him for an extra year if he doesn’t finish top 2 ROY.
I agree. Would be different if the team was set for a legit playoff run and Bubba would help make it happen. They are not in position at the moment.
Maybe? The thing I noticed with Oviedo is that his breaking stuff wasn’t breaking, looked really flat. Bringing him up wasn’t a mistake since we won the game but I can see how some view it that way.
i think it was Bob Walk who was doing TV color and he was saying that he thought Johan was over throwing his breaking stuff.. Would make sense that he would be amped up finally getting back to the bigs. Fixable stuff.. Looking forward to see him in a couple of weeks a should be much calmer his next time o.
Bubba Chandler anyone? Is this another “wait until the end of the season so we might be able to get compensation for a rookie of the year next year” move?
I remember the good old days when teams just tried to win–score more runs than the opponent.
Bubba over the last month has an ERA of over 5 and a WHIP over 1.5.
He could pitch right now in MLB but lets be honest he hasn’t been good, much less great, in June or July
Common theme running through the thread here. I have to wonder a couple of things regarding any call up or lack of a call up. Sometimes players who struggle in the minors get a lucky call up and just break out and stick (not common I admit). Some players just don’t do well when they move to the next level (more common). Some shine when they get regular playing time. And then there is the psychology – frustration with not getting promoted might impair performance. Frustration with being on an underperforming team might impair performance (a Skenes risk?). Frustration working in an organization that does not reward and support excellence could very well affect performance. These guys are in the majors or are very close to it so they are in an elite group, but the psychology is always there. How many times have we heard of the player who outshines against his former team? It’s a cognitive bias so I would love to see those statistics.
Lose draft pick and year and pirates suck so no reason.
A wasted option for Oviedo. He wasn’t ready to make his major league return last night
When he was coming off rehab he would have to join the Bucs or burn an option anyway. Right?
Not sure but he wasn’t ready for major league innings.
You never watched Oviedo pitch or even looked at his stats. Didn’t talk to him or medical staff.
Option doesn’t matter. On option is the financial one. He is either good enough to get paid or dfa non tender. Option him up and down all August and September to find out.
Yea what ever you say. I’ve watched plenty of pirates games. He will be ok just needed more time at AAA
Exactly
It hurt the team getting one inning out of him, but at this point, why not let him rehab up on the ml club? Maybe just had to get that bad game out of his system. I don’t see the point in wasting innings down in the minors for guys who aren’t rookies. Who knows if they’ll get hurt again, just play them in the majors.
Hindsight is always 20/20.
Still has had issues with consistency. Had a rough June and did not finish July great. Had several short high pitch count games in that period.
bubba isnt doing well in AAA at the moment. I wouldn’t call him up unless i thought it was AAA coaching that was hurting him… which with this franchise is a real possibility. If he does not bad the next start or three then i’d bring him up in September.
Service time manipulation is just a side effect of him not doing well.
He’s done well this year and earned a shot. Hopefully they give him more than just a few innings to prove it.
No calling up chandler now is not a good idea both with his AAA performance and the timing in the rotations.
Why move Gonzo to 3B? Leave him be. If anyone I’d say bring up Simon and/or Devanney. Yorke is hitting better lately but the other 2 guys should get a look.
For what it’s worth, I would offer IKF another 1-2 year deal. Seems to like it here and a guy like him plays enough positions well to not block anyone.
Heaney should have been gone weeks ago, he’s a mirage. Pham doesn’t bother me because he’s been the best pure hitter the last month and a half.
IKF’s last contract paid him $8 million dollars a season
I don’t see Nutting approving this amount of money for him.
He’ll certainly not going to take a pay cut
I think that’s fair value but agreed if budget is tight like always, might be best to spend elsewhere. Would you say IKF is better than Hayes? Same price. Or just use Yorke/Pegeuro for cheap? Then where does the 8m go? Upgrade the outfield? Grisham?
I would have traded for Moniak who wouldn’t be too expensive. In fact, Falter for him would have been fair.
IKF is a better hitter than Hayes but not as a defender.
Don’t get me wrong, IKF has a nice arm, Hayes is better.
Now do I think IKF is worth $8 million?
Yes
Right. I think for an offensively challenged team, it’s best to sacrifice a drop off in defense.
Issue will be if a better team offers him 8m or more, why stay here?
IKF is not going to nearly get $8M next year.
Someone will pony up half of that.
I think that he is a valuable utility man but I do not think that the Pirates need him next year.
If he was valuable he would have been traded.
Everyone seems to love Kelly but his decision making process is no better than Shelton
Kelly was in fact Shelton’s bench coach, it stands to reason that he would follow the same principles as Shelton
Like giving players a day off. Shelton had a pre written schedule for every position player on the roster.
Kelly has followed the same pattern.
I wonder if it’s the manager or the team? Losing is probably a very big motivator to change; and what else to change than the lineup? Moving players up and down from the minors would create the same perception of indecision I would suggest. With this team and its constraints any change would just seem like rearranging chairs on the Titanic. Must be very tough on all of the coaches and players.
I argue this all the time with my mom, we’ve been pirates fans since the Duke/Snell/Bay/Sanchez days.
It’s a double edged sword. Guys can’t learn if not playing consistently yet very few play well enough in their brief time to warrant more starts. So what do you do? Get better players? Just keep calling guys up and pray they get hot? Development plan is clearly not working well. When will the team ever have a Gunnar, Witt Jr, Wood, Merrill, Choirio type???
under the current management structure?
Never
I was hoping the Cubs would of kept Sanders. Electric stuff but wild. Seems less wild now I hope he does well.
The guy they got for Frazier has been hitting the cover off the ball with 10 XBH over his last 15 games.
Let’s keep playing Triolo instead
He’s in the lineup tonight playing short stop
Cruz needs to sit for a game or two. He’s in another slump as is Reynolds
You know who isn’t in a slump? Cutch
But he’s not playing tonight
Cutch just keeps being Cutch. Looking at his lifetime stats versus other active players he just shows up consistently in the top 10 across several categories. Hall of famer AND great community man for certain.
Can’t be. Triolo is a stud. Only reason they traded Hayes so that the stud could play. Had zero to do with Hayes contract.
Reynolds was in slump. That sitting him for 1 game fixed him. I’m sure sitting Cruz for a game will fix him up just as good. His strike outs will magically disappear. He just needs a day off.
today would have been a nice time to sit him
I have noticed that he is the DH, perhaps because his fielding in center has not been good lately
Cruz struck out with the bases loaded so maybe he should have been given the day off
Day off worked for Reynolds, drove in a run with a single
That would be his best position- DH.
Reynolds has been a big disappointment to me.
He is not earning his contract.
Can’t earn his contract until 2026. He would just become a free agent in 3 months if they didn’t extend him.
I think that it is time to seriously consider trading Cruz in the off season.
I watched his throwing dynamics and it is Little League to me.
He is much too casual in CF and has nine errors this year.
He may be like Hayes and want to get out.
The only other place to put him is in RF but he would have to improve his hustle and throwing motion to be successful there.
I think that Horowitz will solidify himself at first base as a 15 HR and 280 average first baseman who is a good fielder.
They would maximize their return and not have to pay him.
I would not trust Cherington to do it though.
If Cruz doesn’t start hitting his average will dip below the Mendoza line.( no offense).
I was watching his swings last night, it’s like he puts no effort into it.
He should rehire the hitting coach he had a few years ago because he’s not improving much.
He’s on pace to strike out 190 times
No offense taken.
He is already below the true final Mendoza line.
And I get a quarter from each of you posters who use my name.
Your wrath and frustration is understandable. Cherrington was pretty good in Boston when he had money and support in that (my) big market. Working for Nutting with all of the constraints would be hard on anyone, though. Nutting has his own financial and personal reasons for how he manages the finances. He will keep doing what he is doing, pull the trigger and invest in the team one day (when he feels the odds of going deep are high, laugh), or when he is forced to sell the team.
Because- If he was pretty good in Boston he would have lasted longer than four years.
Or are they a team with a sense of urgency?
He should have lasted only four years here as they showed no real improvement.
Or are they a team with no sense of urgency?
Kelly is finally sitting Cruz in today’s game
Mendoza earlier mentioned his disappointment with Reynolds who is having a bad season
So is Joey Bart and is another disappointment i
It’s pretty sad when your 38 year old DH has more homers than your catchers (combined) and your starting outfielder ( Reynolds)
Bart has just one homer and today has struck out 3 times in each of his plate appearances
Triolo hit a double and Peguero has struck out twice
Cherington said he wants to give these guys as much playing time as possible to see if they will be around next season