I can’t believe that I am typing this on July 31, 2024, but the Pittsburgh Pirates were buyers (and sellers) at the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline. I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel like I had a weight on my shoulders over the past few days as the July 30th, 6:00 PM deadline rapidly approached, and the Pirates had yet to make a significant move that improved the team NOW. I couldn’t even focus during our 12-3 radio show (Tune in Monday, Tuesday, and Friday www.watchdognetwork.com), as I was constantly refreshing Twitter/X looking for some kind of hope that something would happen. However, as the time was dwindling down towards 6:00, Ben Cherington woke up from his nap and something DID happen.
The Pirates acquired OF Bryan De La Cruz from the Miami Marlins in exchange for the Pirates #17 prospect RHP Jun-Seok Shim and their #18 prospect 1B Garrett Forrester. In 424 ABs this year, De La Cruz is hitting .245/.289/.706 with 18 bombs and 51 RBI. He also is under team control until 2027. Shortly after, the Pirates also acquired INF/OF Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the Toronto Blue Jays for #29 prospect INF/OF Charles McAdoo. Kiner-Falefa is hitting .292/.338/.758 with 7 HRs and 33 RBI in 257 ABs this season. He has a 3.1 WAR, which is the same as Bryan Reynolds, who is by far the best hitter in the lineup. Earlier this week, the Pirates shipped away RHP Quinn Priester to the Boston Red Sox for their #6 prospect INF Nick Yorke, who has potential to make it to the big leagues in late August.
Now, I’m not going to sit here and act like these are franchise changing trades. Are these guys like Luis Robert Jr., Brent Rooker, or Vladimir Guerrero Jr.? No. But do they improve this team? Absolutely yes. The Pittsburgh Pirates are undeniably a better baseball team than they were 24 hours ago. They did so without giving up any of their prospects inside their top 10. Unfortunately they lost Charles McAdoo, who was having a monster year in the minor leagues and was likely going to rise to about the organization’s #15 prospect, but you have to give up something to get something. Plus, you never know how these guys pan out in the long run. Side note, if Michael A Taylor can continue to hit like he has in July, that would be like picking up another player at the deadline.
Anyways, the fact of the matter is that the Pirates finally got the offensive help that they so desperately have been looking for. No doubt that this should have happened days, if not weeks or months ago, but it shows that Bob Nutting, Ben Cherington, and the rest of the front office believes in this 2024 team. Something that not only the fans and the city of Pittsburgh have been waiting for, but the players too. You could see it last night in Houston. There is a buzz, a new found energy surrounding this team as they have won three in a row and are looking to sweep the Astros tonight at 8:10, and are 2 games back of the third Wild Card spot in the National League heading into August.
I try to be a realist and not get my hopes and expectations too high with this team, but I can’t help but be pretty damn excited right now. They may not make it to the playoffs this year, but if they do, I know I wouldn’t want to face Paul Skenes, Jarod Jones, and Mitch Keller and company in a series.
Let’s Go Bucs
Jarrett