Pirates Can’t Have Repeat of ’24 Deadline
· Yahoo Sports
A series loss in Cincinnati and yet another injury blow will not deter the Pirates from buying at the trade deadline.
Despite falling a game below .500, the Pirates are looking to add more pieces to their roster ahead of the 6 p.m. ET buzzer, a source familiar with the situation told Pittsburgh Baseball Now.
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The Pirates made a notable move on Saturday, when they acquired right-handed reliever Camilo Doval from the Yankees for a pair of prospects. Among the other additions Pittsburgh has made so far this month are infielder Jacob Gonzalez, left-hander Brandon Eisert and right-hander Ron Marinaccio. But it’s not yet enough.
This is the second time general manager Ben Cherington has been looking to add pieces at the deadline and not subtract. The other was in 2024, and if the Pirates want to be serious contenders, they can’t repeat what they did two years ago.
That year, the Pirates were teetering between buying and selling but entered the deadline a couple games over .500. To bolster its roster, Pittsburgh acquired infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the Blue Jays, outfielder Bryan De La Cruz from the Marlins and left-handed reliever Jalen Beeks from the Rockies.
Beeks was fine out of the bullpen. The other two players did not pan out.
I like to call that strategy the illusion of adding. Essentially, the Pirates “went for it” by finding players who weren’t difference makers, ones who didn’t cost significant prospects to acquire. Then you hope for the best.
In a way, it made sense then. The Pirates’ roster didn’t scream contender despite a record above .500. Mortgaging the future to supplement that team probably wouldn’t have been a great strategy.
But as long as the Pirates are adding to this year’s club, they can’t afford to have another half-hearted effort.
Despite an ugly series against the Reds, the Pirates are still within striking distance. They are 3.5 games out in a crowded National League Central race. With the roster they have, this is the best chance they’ve had to make the playoffs since they last did in 2015.
Cherington is reportedly aiming high in the final hours leading up to the deadline. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote, “The Pirates have been engaged in some fanciful pursuits.” He even mentioned the Pirates considered a deal for Rockies All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman at one point.
It might not be Goodman, but the Pirates need to get serious about winning over the next handful of hours before the deadline passes. They need to make real moves if they want to be a real contender over the final two months of the season.
It’s a rare opportunity for the Pirates, and if they are going for it, they must deliver.
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