Pirates Rumors

Latest On Rays’ Starting Pitchers

By Jeff Todd | August 1, 2016 at 2:26pm CDT

Here’s the latest on the Rays’ starting pitching trade candidates, several of whom have been discussed quite a bit in the run-up to the deadline. There’s nothing firm as of yet, but the Rays seem to be weighing offers on several arms.

In addition to the Giants and Pirates, the Dodgers have interest in Moore, per Rosenthal (via Twitter). Other teams, too, may be after the southpaw.
The Giants are still working on a deal involving Moore, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
The Dodgers remain in pursuit of Tampa Bay’s hurlers after adding Rich Hill, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com tweets. Of course, L.A. may have less willingness to move its own young arms after giving up three in that swap.
The Pirates are still looking at Rays starters, with lefty Matt Moore the primary target and righty Jake Odorizzi also of interest, per Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter). Pittsburgh has dealt away closer Mark Melancon, but landed a strong major league relief arm in that trade and is evidently serious about upgrading its rotation now and in the future. It certainly looks to be an interesting deadline strategy from GM Neal Huntington, but it remains to be seen whether anything else will get done over the next two hours.
Also checking in with Tampa Bay on arms are the Astros, as Chris Cotillo of SB Nation and MLB.com’s Jon Morosi have noted (Twitter links). As things stand, though, it doesn’t seem as if there’s much momentum toward any kind of agreement between the teams.

Earlier Notes

Continuing their prior dialogue, the Rays and Dodgers are in talks on Tampa Bay’s starters, Jon Morosi of MLB.com tweets. While most of the Rays’ starters have been chatted about in one way or another over recent weeks, staff ace Chris Archer has been most closely tied to Los Angeles, though it’s not clear at this stage whether he’s the focus.
The Rays and Giants are still discussing lefty Matt Moore, per ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). We covered that story last night — check here for details. Tampa Bay is requesting two top prospects, per Crasnick’s report.

Athletics Likely To Trade Rich Hill, Won’t Reach Extension

By Steve Adams | August 1, 2016 at 11:46am CDT

TODAY: Hill won’t reach a deal with the A’s on a new contract, Rosenthal tweets, making him likely to be dealt today.

YESTERDAY: The A’s are discussing an extension with left-hander Rich Hill while also discussing trade scenarios with other teams, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link).

Hill has been one of the most talked-about names on the trade market all season long but has scarcely been able to pitch since late May due to a groin strain and, more recently, a blister on his left middle finger. The latter of those two maladies landed him on the disabled list yesterday, and while the stint is expected to be minimal, it does cast a shadow on the club’s ability to trade Hill. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle characterized a Hill trade as a “long shot” today due to his placement on the disabled list, but she noted that the Blue Jays, Tigers, Dodgers and Orioles have all scouted Hill extensively (though Baltimore has reportedly struck a deal with the Mariners to acquire Wade Miley). The club would be happy to hang onto Hill even after tomorrow’s deadline she writes, adding that the club would consider a qualifying offer for Hill at season’s end. FOX’s Ken Rosenthal added the Astros, Rangers and Pirates to the list of clubs with interest in Hill (Twitter link).

That, of course, would represent a massive offer to a player that, prior to 2016, had never earned more than $1MM in a given MLB season. But, Hill has upped his game dating back to last September and pitched brilliantly thanks to an increased use of his curveball, pitching to a sterling 2.06 ERA with 10.8 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a near-50 percent ground-ball rate. Durability is a factor both in trade talks and extension talks, to be sure, but Hill’s recent results are difficult to ignore. Hill’s age figures to limit the length of any contract — more than two years would be a major surprise — but the fact that he hasn’t earned much in his career (relative to most of his peers) might actually play into Oakland’s favor, as any type of significant contract offer would figure to carry quite a bit of weight for Hill.

Nationals Acquire Mark Melancon

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2016 at 3:54pm CDT

3:54pm: FanRag’s Jon Heyman reports that the Pirates sent about $500K to the Nationals as part of the deal (Twitter link).

2:00pm: The Nationals officially have struck a deal to acquire Pirates closer Mark Melancon, finally getting the late-inning upgrade they’ve been seeking. Southpaw Felipe Rivero is heading to Pittsburgh in return, with lefty pitching prospect Taylor Hearn rounding out the package.

Washington also gets cash in the deal, per Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Melancon is playing on a $9.65MM salary this year before reaching free agency. As a result of the mid-season move, the righty will not be eligible to receive a qualifying offer, which means he’ll enter the market free and clear of draft compensation.

The Nats have long been connected to the top of the relief market with incumbent Jonathan Papelbon struggling to hold down the ninth. The Nats picked him up this time last year, but while he had at least gotten the job done despite declining peripherals, the results have been bleak of late. While the team chased Aroldis Chapman, it wasn’t willing to meet the high asking price. And the Nats also balked at the apparent requests of a top-tier prospect in exchange for top closers Andrew Miller and Wade Davis — each of whom come with future control.

[Related: Updated Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates Depth Charts]

Melancon, 31, unquestionably constitutes a significant upgrade, though the loss of Rivero means that the team has lost a high-powered lefty from its roster. Still, it’s hard to argue with the decision to plug an established late-inning arm into the mix. The Nats can still turn to another power southpaw in Sammy Solis as well as crafty veteran Oliver Perez. Taking the broader perspective, the club certainly got more than it might have hoped for when it acquired Rivero as part of the early-2014 deal that brought backup catcher Jose Lobaton to D.C. in exchange for righty Nate Karns.

Interestingly, Melancon fits more the profile of Papelbon than of the other arms that D.C. reportedly targeted. He works in the 91 to 92 mph range with his average fastball and carries a swinging strike rate in the low-double digits. But as the now-aging Papelbon once did, Melancon has an increasingly lengthy record of pure excellence. Since coming to Pittsburgh in a seemingly minor trade, he has pitched to a 1.80 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and just 1.5 BB/9 across 260 1/3 innings. It has been more of the same this year, though Melancon’s typically outstanding groundball rate has dipped just below 50%. He currently sports a 1.51 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9, right at his now-established rates.

For the Bucs, it’s surely tough to part with such an integral part of the team with contention still in sights. But the club faces something of an uphill road despite its 52-49 record, with a powerful Cubs team still pacing the division and several other quality clubs angling for a Wild Card berth. After losing two consecutive play-in games, Pittsburgh obviously felt it wasn’t worth passing on this opportunity — particularly since it still figures to have a solid combination of Tony Watson and Neftali Feliz working to close out wins.

After all, Rivero will likely slot right into the Pirates pen, possibly constituting part of the Bucs’ late-inning mix — in the future, if not right away. The 25-year-old has monster stuff, even if his results have been uneven. The Pirates obviously put a high value on him, which is understandable given that he’s controllable through 2021 and is perhaps only just touching his potential. Rivero owns a 4.53 ERA in 49 2/3 innings on the year, but has posted 9.6 K/9 against 2.7 BB/9. If we’re being honest, it’s not out of the question that he could be every bit as good as Melancon right off the bat, though obviously he doesn’t come with anything near the veteran’s track record.

Hearn looks to be something of a younger version of Rivero. The 21-year-old features a huge fastball, but hasn’t yet advanced past the Class A level, where he owns a 3.18 ERA with 12.3 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 over 22 2/3 innings. Hearn was originally drafted by Pittsburgh, then ended up going to the Nats after being taken in the fifth round of last year’s draft.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported the deal (links to Twitter), with Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweeting Hearn’s inclusion.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rotation Rumors: Pirates, Quintana, Gray, Hill, Twins

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2016 at 3:13pm CDT

After dealing Mark Melancon, the Pirates may not be done with their deadline moves, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. The team isn’t necessarily looking to act as a seller, though; instead, Pittsburgh is targeting a starter. The Melancon swap, after all, doesn’t represent full-blown capitulation, as it brought back a quality, major league level reliever in Felipe Rivero. Pittsburgh is said to be talking with the Rays, among other teams, and one can’t help but wonder whether the Bucs see an opportunity to achieve some value on an underperforming arm with a favorable contract situation.

Here are some more notes on major pitchers whose names are in discussions as the deadline approaches:

The Rangers have spoken with the White Sox about Jose Quintana as well as Chris Sale, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets, but there’s no more reason to believe the sides are closer on the former than there is to think they’ll line up on the latter. At this point, there’s a difference of opinion between the teams on those southpaws’ values, per Rosenthal.
There’s no chance that the Athletics will deal righty Sonny Gray at the deadline, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag reports. It is hard to call that a surprising revelation, given that we’ve heard no signals out of Oakland that he’d be made available. The A’s are obviously uninterested in selling low on a 26-year-old pitcher who had pitched like an ace heading into this season, but who has struggled badly in 2016. Gray’s strikeout rate has held steady, and he isn’t giving up many more walks than is typical, but he carries a 5.43 ERA over 107 2/3 innings and missed time with a trap strain. The 2016 downturn will at least tamp down Gray’s arbitration salary, and with three more years of control, it certainly behooves the Athletics to hold onto him at least until he can rebuild some value.
Meanwhile, word is the Athletics could still deal southpaw Rich Hill even though he won’t return to the mound before the deadline and just hit the 15-day DL. Heyman tweets that there’s still “significant interest” in the veteran despite his lingering blister issues. Though he carries a risky profile given his recent and prior injury issues and lack of a productive big league track record prior to his out-of-nowhere breakout late in 2015, Hill has been aces when healthy in 2016. Over 76 frames, he owns a stellar 2.25 ERA with 10.7 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9.
While none of these names are of the level of the pitchers discussed above, the Twins are said to be shopping Ricky Nolasco, Tommy Milone, and Fernando Abad, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). Nolasco and Milone could both conceivably be looked at by teams in need of some rotation depth, while Abad remains a useful LOOGY option for organizations that hope to bolster their pen. None, of course, seem particularly likely to draw major returns; if anything, Nolasco would likely be moved for a bit of salary relief.

Nationals “Focused” On Mark Melancon

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2016 at 1:08pm CDT

As the Nationals continue their effort to add a quality reliever at the back of the pen, the club is “focused” on striking a deal to add Pirates righty Mark Melancon, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. The Nats have also been tied to hurlers such as Andrew Miller of the Yankees and Wade Davis of the Royals, but the asking prices have been incredibly steep.

That’s not to say that the Bucs will let Melancon go lightly. Jon Heyman of Fan Rag reports that the team would be looking for a deal along the lines of the Aroldis Chapman pact. The Cubs parted with one high-quality prospect in Gleyber Torres as well as a useful major-league arm in Adam Warren and two other nice prospect pieces to add the flamethrowing lefty.

It’s easy to see the analogy between the Cubs-Yankees agreement and what Pittsburgh would like to accomplish. They, too, reportedly hope to receive a useful set-up option in return — giving the team a player to slot in front of Tony Watson and Neftali Feliz while continuing to compete in 2016. And the Bucs obviously would only be motivated to make that kind of exchange if they can get a truly enticing prospect out of the bargain.

Washington was unwilling to go too big on Chapman, who is a more obviously dominant pitcher than is Melancon. Still, it’s hard to argue that Melancon has been any less effective. Quite the contrary, in fact: the 31-year-old owns a sparkling 1.80 ERA over his four years and 260 1/3 innings with Pittsburgh, and while he doesn’t carry an elite strikeout rate (8.3 K/9), he has issued only 1.5 free passes per nine.

Melancon isn’t cheap at a $9.65MM salary, but most of that has already paid down and it’s not the kind of number that should pose problems. Though the Nationals have been said in the past not to be willing to take on salary at the deadline, the team’s payroll is far lower than it was last year and there are always creative solutions.

In terms of a return, the Nats could theoretically offer up some of its youthful, high-upside relief arms, such as Blake Treinen and Felipe Rivero. And the club has a bevy of top prospects. It was reportedly not interested in giving up Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Trea Turner, or Victor Robles in a deal for Chapman, so it stands to reason the same holds true here — though the ongoing struggles of Jonathan Papelbon have perhaps made the Nats’ needs yet more pronounced.

Giolito, at least, isn’t going to be moved in such a trade, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter), and it’s nearly impossible to imagine Turner going in a trade given his role on the current MLB roster. There may be somewhat more flexibility on Lopez, at least in theory; like Giolito, he has received a few major league spot starts (including one tonight), but Joe Ross is expected to return in short order. Righty Erick Fedde is another quality young top-100 prospect that could be discussed — though that’s pure speculation at this point.

Nationals, Multiple Others Inquiring On Mark Melancon

By Steve Adams | July 29, 2016 at 2:36pm CDT

2:33pm: The Indians and Giants are among the other club showing interest, per Rosenthal (Twitter links). Pittsburgh is willing to consider proposals that include not only prospect value, but also a current major league reliever that would provide a solid set-up option for Pittsburgh.

11:07am: The Nationals and multiple other clubs are inquiring with the Pirates on closer Mark Melancon, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Washington is known to be in pursuit of a late-inning relief arm, particularly in the wake of Jonathan Papelbon’s recent implosion (seven earned in his past three appearances, spanning one inning).

Melancon, 31, is earning $9.6MM in his final year before hitting the open market. A three-time All-Star with the Pirates, he’s sporting a stellar 1.51 ERA in 41 2/3 innings this season, averaging 8.2 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 to complement a 48.2 percent ground-ball rate. The notion of Pittsburgh trading its closer may sound counter-intuitive at first, but there’s some logic behind the thinking, as I discussed earlier this week with Josh Taylor of TribLive Radio in Pittsburgh (audio link). The budget-conscious Pirates may be wary of extending a qualifying offer to Melancon in an offseason where he’ll be heading into his age-32 campaign and face competition from the likes of Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen on the free-agent market. Beyond that, the thought of losing Melancon for nothing certainly can’t be an appealing one to Pittsburgh GM Neal Huntington and his staff, so it makes sense for bullpen-hungry clubs to at least see if the Bucs are willing to consider the possibility.

Then again, there is not yet any indication as to how willing the Pirates are to actually part with Melancon. The team does possess an excellent setup man in Tony Watson and a bevy of young arms that could conceivably shift to the bullpen late in the season in order to limit their rising innings totals, but subtracting Melancon from the bullpen would weaken the club to some degree as it looks to secure a Wild Card playoff spot. Rosenthal does say that the Nats are talking to the Pirates, so Huntington is seemingly at least willing to listen, though most GMs will approach the trade deadline with an open mindset.

If made available, Melancon would presumably draw interest from the same collection of teams that have demonstrated interest in Royals closer Wade Davis and Yankees closer Andrew Miller. In addition to the Nationals, we’ve seen the Dodgers, Cardinals, Indians, Rangers and Giants linked to top-tier bullpen help over the course of the week (though Cleveland, it seems, is more focused on a lefty, and an intra-division trade to the Cardinals is of course unlikely).

Pitching Rumors: Sale, Rangers, Dodgers-A’s, Walker, Santana, Jays, Rays, Niese

By Jeff Todd | July 29, 2016 at 1:36pm CDT

The Rangers are still pushing hardest for White Sox ace Chris Sale, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (Twitter links). Chicago is holding out with a high asking price, per the report, demanding Nomar Mazara and Joey Gallo as headliners. Presumably, the club is looking for more to go with that pair, though the full demands from the Sox remain unknown. Texas will obviously be hesitant to part with Mazara, in particular, since he’s not only an important future piece but has played a notable role on this year’s roster. On the other hand, he seems like a perfectly reasonable request; there simply aren’t very many pitchers out there that combine Sale’s track record and contract situation.

Here’s more on the market for starters:

The Athletics and Dodgers have discussed trade scenarios involving both lefty Rich Hill and outfielder Josh Reddick, per ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. It seems that the sides have batted around concepts involving both players in a single swap, as well as scenarios involving each player separately. It’s not hard to see the interest here from a Los Angeles organization that not only desires to add a starter and a left-handed-hitting outfielder, but has exhibited more injury risk tolerance in acquiring starting pitching than any team in baseball.
Other teams may be looking at Mariners righty Taijuan Walker, but Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto says that he’s not interested in offers, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. “We’re not currently discussing Taijuan with anybody,” said Dipoto. “He’ll stay right where he is.” Dipoto says that the same holds with regard to lefty James Paxton, as SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets.
At this point, the Twins would need to be “overwhelmed” to deal away righty Ervin Santana, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). Minnesota is still said to be open to dealing relief assets, but apparently is rather committed to keeping the veteran righty in its rotation over the final two years of his contract.
While the Blue Jays’ tough call on whether to keep Aaron Sanchez in the rotation, or instead to move him to the pen to limit his innings, has long been building as an important decision. ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark takes a look at the subject with the trade deadline seemingly forcing the issue. While GM Ross Atkins says the club won’t let Sanchez’s status impact its plans, and stresses that the organization is looking at far more than a simple innings tally, Stark reports that rival executives see Toronto as an aggressive pursuer of starters. He suggests that Jeremy Hellickson could make a nice target as a back-of-the-staff rental that shouldn’t cost too much.
Before striking a deal this morning for two starters, the Marlins tried to work something out with the pitching-rich Rays, according to multiple reports. Per Stark (Twitter links), the sides weren’t seeing eye to eye on Miami’s interest in Jake Odorizzi and Matt Moore. One source suggests that Tampa Bay wanted Christian Yelich and J.T. Realmuto — which would obviously be a non-starter — while another suggests it never got that specific, with Tampa Bay simply not interested in the Marlins’ farm.
Moore seems now to be the Rays starter who is most likely to be traded, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). Always regarded as a highly-talented pitcher, Moore has looked more like his pre-Tommy John self of late. His last poor outing came on June 24th, leaving him with a 5.04 ERA to that point on the year. Since that time, over seven starts, Moore has allowed just nine earned runs in 40 2/3 innings. He only has a 25: 14 K/BB ratio in that span, which isn’t all that exciting, and doesn’t have a velocity bump or increasing whiff rate to support the improved results,
The Mets have chatted with the Pirates about a possible Jon Niese return, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets. New York has previously been suggested to have some interest in the lefty, who was dealt from New York to Pittsburgh over the winter. As before, though, the Mets don’t appear to be prioritizing starting pitching, given that the club has reasonable back-of-the-rotation options at hand with Zack Wheeler still working toward a return

Rosenthal’s Latest: Archer, Pirates, Royals, Nats, Yanks, Reds

By Connor Byrne | July 23, 2016 at 3:44pm CDT

The Rays believe there are roughly eight teams with strong enough farm systems to put together a package for right-hander Chris Archer in advance of the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline, reports FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (video link). One of those clubs, the Pirates, would have to move both righty Tyler Glasnow and outfield prospect Austin Meadows to acquire Archer. Glasnow, who’s currently in the midst of his second major league start, is sixth on Baseball America’s Midseason Top 100, while Meadows is 10th. Tampa Bay’s asking price is quite high, then, but Rosenthal notes that Archer has an eminently team-friendly contract through 2021. The soon-to-be 28-year-old has struggled to prevent runs this season and has seen both his walk and home run rates increase significantly, but he was a top-of-the-rotation option over 535 1/3 innings from 2013-15.

More deadline-related buzz from Rosenthal:

The remainder of the Royals’ current homestand (five games) will determine their course entering the deadline. At 48-47, the reigning World Series champions are eight games behind AL Central-leading Cleveland and five out of a Wild Card spot. Should they end up selling, free agents-to-be Edinson Volquez, Luke Hochevar and Kendrys Morales are all candidates to change uniforms. So is closer Wade Davis, whose contract expires after next season and whose demand around the league will only rise if the Yankees retain their late-inning relief aces. FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reported earlier Saturday that Washington is among the teams interested in Davis.
Nationals right-handed pitching prospect Erick Fedde could headline a package for Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman, and Rosenthal says landing the 23-year-old would be “a coup” for a team that covets young starters. Fedde, the 18th overall pick in the 2014 draft, is BA’s 61st-ranked prospect and has put up a 0.69 ERA in his last eight starts at the High-A level, per Rosenthal.
The thinness of the pitching market means it would make sense for the rebuilding Reds to listen to offers for righty Anthony DeSclafani, according to Rosenthal, who adds that the timing might not be right for Cincinnati to deal him. Given that DeSclafani is under club control through the end of the 2020 season, the Reds could build around him or keep him for now and hope his trade value continues increasing. The 26-year-old has been stellar this season, notching a 2.50 ERA, 7.15 K/9 and 1.61 BB/9 in 50 1/3 innings.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/22/16

By Jeff Todd | July 22, 2016 at 9:11pm CDT

Here are the day’s notable minor moves:

The Braves have agreed to a minor league deal with backstop Michael McKenry, per Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (via Twitter). As Cotillo notes, that signing, along with the team’s addition of fellow veteran George Kottaras, could help bolster the team’s catching ranks if A.J. Pierzynski is traded away. McKenry was recently cut loose by the Cardinals after a brief appearance on the MLB roster. He owns a useful .238/.318/.406 slash in his 953 big league plate appearances, but evaluators don’t love his work behind the dish.
Another catcher, Erik Kratz, has elected free agency after being outrighted by the Pirates, as Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets. Kratz has not produced with the bat at all this year, but does typically bring some pop to the table. The 36-year-old is a lifetime .200/.248/.362 hitter, with 24 home runs in 647 plate appearances. With plenty of organizations looking for depth, he’ll likely latch on with another organization in short order.

AL East Notes: Buchholz, Red Sox, Dombrowski, Pearce, Rays, Jays

By Steve Adams | July 22, 2016 at 11:05am CDT

Clay Buchholz may be in his final days as a member of the Red Sox, writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Teams have inquired with the Red Sox about the struggling right-hander, Bradford reports, and his sparse usage as of late has the pitcher himself pondering his future with the club. “…I feel like the guys they’re rolling out there, I don’t have a spot. I’m the odd man out,” said Buchholz in reference to the rotation. “I’m not sure. I don’t know. Not having pitched in a while I felt like something has be going on.” Manager John Farrell offered a rather frank analysis of the situation when asked by Bradford: “He’s in a tough spot, I’ll be candid. I don’t want to say it’s purgatory, but as far as baseball he’s in a difficult spot. There was the four-day layover over the break. We’ve played very good winning baseball. We’ve gotten starters deeper into ballgames where the bullpen has been rested. That’s where the decisions have come in.” Buchholz’s contract has one more club option at $13.5MM on it, so perhaps an interested party would look to buy low in hopes of revitalizing him over the final two months of the year and making that option look like a reasonable price.

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