Yardbarker
x
For the revitalized Pirates, trade deadline has newfound meaning
Andrew McCutchen and the Pittsburgh Pirates have been red-hot since the Fourth of July. Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

For the revitalized Pirates, trade deadline has newfound meaning

The Pittsburgh Pirates come into play on Wednesday with 66/1 odds on becoming World Series champions. Admittedly, that is still a rather far-fetched figure, one that still puts them behind 13 other teams in a playoff field that only qualifies 10 teams in whole.

No matter the teams ahead of them, that number shows a glimmer of hope for a team that has spent much of the season with little to nothing to offer in the optimism department. It was not long ago that the Pirates were a National League powerhouse — a 98-win team that steadily rose from historically inept (and prolonged) lows to become one of the most exciting teams in the game.

It was also not long ago that all seemed lost yet again for the Bucs, as they spent a ploddingly slow first half of the year resembling little of the formidable collective they had grown into just two years ago. Instead, the Pirates looked more like the rudderless mess they did by the end of last summer.

It is amazing what a hot hand and a hapless division can do for the prospects of what the season can yield for a team on the bubble, and that is where the Pirates now find themselves as the season’s stretch run prepares to take place. The Fourth of July celebrations in Pittsburgh must truly be something to behold, because since the holiday the Pirates have had a new lease on life, going 13-5 since the nation’s founding celebration. That hot streak allowed the Pirates to pull themselves up out of the murky waters of despair that is the bottom half of the National League Central. After failing to produce a winning record in any month prior to on the year, July has seen the team reborn.

As a result, the Pirates sit on the cusp of opportunity, and now they face a tough decision to sort out: How far do they push to make the best of this new situation? After months of being tabbed as potential sellers, what moves can this team make to further crash the party for an NL Central title, which is very much within reach yet again?

The correction of course has come at a time when things have finally come back together for the roster. Starling Marte is back from a PED suspension that cost him 81 games. Josh Harrison has continued to play at the level that made him an All-Star for the second time in his career earlier in the month, scoring a team-high 10 runs since the All-Star break. David Freese has rediscovered a stroke that abandoned him after a strong start, notching a hit in seven straight games, and he has a .389 on-base percentage on the year. Talented youngsters Adam Frazier and Josh Bell have begun to deliver on promise. Even the man Frazier replaced in the everyday lineup, Gregory Polanco, who is out with a hamstring injury, was hitting .367 in the second half.

Finally, it is far from a coincidence that Pirates' upswing aligned itself with the re-emergence of Andrew McCutchen, who is playing his best baseball in over a year. The National League Player of the Month for June, McCutchen is hitting .366 with 10 home runs, 37 RBI and has scored 38 runs over the last two months. When the Cutch is at his best, the Pirates have been at theirs, and a fully revitalized McCutchen in centerfield has been the driving force they desperately needed.

However, if the Pirates are to complete their rise from the ranks of the resurrected to fully realize a pennant chase down the stretch, they will need help. While the budget-conscious club is never one to make a truly blockbuster splash, Pittsburgh is rarely afraid to make a move around the deadline. Considering the circumstances of which this opportunity has emerged, when it looked as if this was a team headed for a dismantling just a month ago, cashing in on the opportunity at hand should be a priority.


Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Gerrit Cole is an impending free agent. John Hefti/USA TODAY Sports

The Pirates are also a team that finds itself in a tough place to make a series of moves. With the potential departures of both McCutchen and ace starter Gerrit Cole looming over the next year, they must be particularly protective of their top prospects and young arms, namely Austin Meadows, Tyler Glasnow and shortstop Cole Tucker.

Still, the Bucs find themselves just 3.5 games from the division lead in a season during which they failed to reach .500 until late July. In other words, the NL Central is up for grabs, which means this team must be open to doing business. And there is business that could be done to propel this team forward.

The loss of Jung Ho Kang to DUI charges in South Korea has left the club on unsteady ground at the corner infield positions all year. While Bell’s improvement as his rookie year has worn on has helped and Freese has been steady again, adding a legitimate infield bat would go a long way.

Versatile infield options such as Jed Lowrie, Asdrubal Cabrera and Howie Kendrick would make sense. For single-position upgrades, Yankees third baseman Chase Headley and Braves second baseman Brandon Phillips would be definite fits as well.

At the same time, an outfield rental would not be a bad idea either. Late-season hamstring injuries are never to be trusted, so Polanco is hard to count on at this point. With the likes of Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce both headed toward free agency, a call over to Flushing would make a ton of sense as well.

Yet if the Pirates are truly to make waves in a place that would aid them the most, it would be upgrades to the pitching staff. Both the rotation and bullpen could use a difference maker or two to throw the pivotal innings that lie ahead between Cole and Ivan Nova. While the Bucs are obviously operating below the Yu Darvish/Sonny Gray level of move, there are a handful of arms that could spice up the rotation.

An Edinson Volquez return would not be the worst idea, and if they could find a way to get reliever A.J. Ramos packaged in from the Marlins as well, it would address every need the Pittsburgh staff has in one move. Francisco Liriano is back on the market, and although he just left Pittsburgh a year ago, he still fits in nicely with the team's needs.

Derek Holland has had a nice rebound season in Chicago, and the White Sox are open to any and all moves as they reconstruct their roster from the ground up. Likewise, Pat Neshek, Brad Hand and Justin Wilson are all phenomenal relief options that could be had and would bring some life to the Pittsburgh bullpen.

The bubble is a tough place to operate this time of year, but the illusion that all trades must be blockbusters is one that is regularly oversold. The Pirates are one of the savviest teams in baseball in navigating the trade waters for exactly what fits for them. With this unexpected second chance this summer, the question should not be "if" they jump into the deadline pool, but how deep.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

+

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.