For the Pittsburgh Pirates, the trade deadline usually symbolizes the unofficial end of the season. Veterans on expiring deals are shopped and free agents who came to the team on one year deals are almost assuredly moved, while the eyes of the city shift increasingly over to what the Steelers are up to in training camp.
That’s not the story this year, however. After back to back dramatic, come from behind wins, the Pirates found themselves in a position at the deadline that they really haven’t been in since 2018.
With a hybrid approach to the trade deadline that saw general manager Ben Cherington still look to build for the future while also bolstering this year’s roster ahead of a tightly contested wild card race, the Pirates made a flurry of moves before the clock struck 6:00 PM ET.
Cherington has been much maligned, and probably for good reason, during the majority of his time as general manager of the Pirates. However, he was a new man at this trade deadline, making moves that were rather un-Cherington like in nature.
Below I’ll recap each trade and what it means for your Pirates.
To Pittsburgh: UT Isiah Kiner-Falefa
To Toronto: INF Charles McAdoo
If you thought Jared Triolo was a utility man, you haven’t seen anything yet. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is the ultra utility man. The 29-year old has played all around the infield and a pinch appearance in the outfield, as well as on the mound. Essentially, he’s a version of Triolo who can hit the ball.
And in the case of this year, really hit the ball. IKF was in the midst of his best big league season at the plate, slashing .292/.338/.420 with 7 home runs and 33 RBI in 82 games.
He becomes your immediate plug-in at second base (where he has played the most this season) with Nick Gonzales injured, and provides a stellar offensive boost in comparison with who the Pirates already had to put out there.
As for what they gave up, Charles McAdoo is rapidly working through the minor leagues. After spending last season in Low-A Bradenton, the 22-year old infielder had already made it up to Double-A in Altoona before the trade. With the Curve, he was slashing .269/.348/.490 in 27 games.
He’s a good prospect, but sometimes that’s the cost of doing business. IKF is a good add.
To Pittsburgh: OF Bryan De La Cruz
To Miami: RHP Jun-Seok Shim, 1B Garret Forrester
Bryan De La Cruz might not be the first pick of fans to improve production from the outfield, but he does bring a boost with him at minimal cost. Going to Miami are Pittsburgh’s 17th and 18th ranked prospects, including one of their many, many pitchers.
Shim was pitching in the Florida Complex League and Forester for Low-A Bradenton at the time of the trade.
As for the Pirates, De La Cruz has been getting some comparisons as an upgraded Edward Olivares, and to be quite honest that should be fine for the Pirates. Considering the production they’ve gotten from any outfielder not named Bryan Reynolds, the .245/.289/.417 slash line and 18 homers should be a welcome addition.
Those 18 home runs by De La Cruz would tie for the Pirates lead, by the way, with Reynolds. De La Cruz likely becomes Pittsburgh’s everyday right fielder at a time where they really need one. Olivares has been optioned long ago and the Pirates lost two outfielders to injury last night in Houston.
This is the kind of trade a team makes that at least says, “hey, we’re trying.”
To Pittsburgh: LHP Ronaldys Jimenez
To San Diego: LHP Martín Pérez
It had been rumored for a long time that the Pirates were very open to working on a deal to get Martín Pérez out of town. The veteran lefty who signed here for one year at $8 million had the team’s worst ERA and WHIP at the time of his departure.
It just didn’t work out here.
Maybe he can find a way to rebound in San Diego, who had a very busy trade deadline of their own.
For their troubles, the Pirates get a lottery ticket type pitcher by the name of Ronaldys Jimenez. He’s an 18-year old lefty who pitched very sparingly for one of San Diego’s Dominican Summer League teams, accounting for just 6.0 total innings.
We’ll need several years to see if he turns into anything. Wishing the best for Martín.
To Pittsburgh: UT Billy Cook
To Baltimore: RHP Patrick Reilly
In a prospect swap, the Pirates again moved out someone from their plethora of pitching prospects in exchange for a minor league bat.
Billy Cook is morphing from a prospect into a project, but the 25-year old has experienced a ton of progress in the minor leagues this season. Starting in Double-A with Bowie, Cook was promoted to Triple-A with Norfolk where he is slashing .279/.372/.485 in 70 games.
He’s played almost all over the field, but most of his time has actually come at first base. Since going to Norfolk, 42 of his 70 games came at first base; no other position had doubled digit games played.
It will be interesting to see how Cook does in Indianapolis, assuming that’s where he starts out within the Pirates organization. There’s a non-zero chance we see him this year at the major league level, but it’s certainly low.
As for the Orioles, they acquired the soon to be 23-year old Reilly, who was pitching in High-A for Greensboro at the time of the trade. He was a fifth round pick by the Pirates in last year’s draft.
With all of Pittsburgh’s top end prospects, Reilly would be hard pressed to find a way into the club’s long term plans. So, Cherington decided to flip him for someone who might end up being part of Pittsburgh’s future at first base.
To Pittsburgh: LHP Jalen Beeks
To Colorado: LHP Luis Peralta
With Ryan Borucki’s rehab being paused and essentially shut down, and the recently DFA’d Josh Fleming electing free agency, the Pirates only had one lefty in their bullpen (Aroldis Chapman).
So, they went out and got Jalen Beeks from Colorado, who carries a 4.74 ERA and 1.358 WHIP with him to Pittsburgh.
Because he played for the Rockies and his home stadium was the notoriously hitter-friendly Coors Field, you have to take his stats with a grain of salt. But to be honest, this has the markings of a trade the Pirates could really regret down the line.
Luis Peralta had an 0.90 ERA and 0.900 WHIP in 30.0 innings with High-A Greensboro, and a 1.86 ERA and 1.241 WHIP in 9.2 innings with Double-A Altoona before the trade.
Those were some really encouraging numbers from the 23-year old, but he is used to instead bolster the major league roster now and acquire a legitimate lefty for the pen. We’ll see how this one goes.
To Pittsburgh: LHP Josh Walker
To New York (Mets): LHP Nicolas Carreno
Josh Walker isn’t someone we will see right away, or maybe at all in a Pirates jersey, but I figured to include him anyways.
Walker pitched 12.1 innings for the Mets this season, to a 5.11 ERA and 1.541 WHIP before being designated for assignment. In their official press release, the Pirates pointed out that Walker had a 2.08 ERA in his first 8 outings before he got lit up and DFA’d.
That is true, but the implosion is concerning to say the least. Pittsburgh gave up Nicolas Carreno in the deal, who was pitching to a 3.74 ERA in 21.2 innings in the Dominican Summer League. So, it’s not a deal that is going to haunt the Pirates anytime soon.
At the very least, this trade brings in some depth for injuries to the bullpen, and lefties are always in demand. He will report to Triple-A Indianapolis.
(Featured photo by John Fisher / Getty Images)
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