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Trade-deadline OF options for weak-hitting Pirates to remain in contention
Sitting at 52-50 and just 1.5 games out of an NL wild-card spot, the Pittsburgh Pirates are in position to make the postseason for the first time since 2015.
Although the team has a strong rotation, led by Rookie of the Year candidate Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh's offense ranks 26th in batting average (.232).
All-Star outfielder Bryan Reynolds has shined (.288, 18 HRs), but other outfielders — Jack Suwinski, Michael A. Taylor, Edward Olivares, Joshua Palacios and Ji Hwan Bae — are collectively hitting only .204 (OF Andrew McCutchen is hitting only .226, but he has 13 HRs).
"Now and for the years ahead, Pittsburgh needs bats," ESPN.com Jeff Passan wrote recently, "and while an add-and-subtract play is difficult for any team to pull off, Pittsburgh could acquire some bats on the margin while being open to moving a starter such as Bailey Falter or a back-end reliever."
With the trade deadline approaching Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET, the notoriously stingy Pirates should make a move for more offense, especially in the outfield.
Here are potential trade targets (all stats and records are through Thursday's games).
Brent Rooker | Oakland A's
With the fifth-most home runs (24) and RBI (70) in the American League, Rooker could be the hottest outfield name on the market. In addition to power, the 29-year-old has a .289 batting average for Oakland (45-63), which should be a seller. He's making only $750,000 this season, per Spotrac, well within the Pirates' price range.
Brent Rooker continues to mash! pic.twitter.com/rtA2tnPNW0
— MLB (@MLB) July 26, 2024
Luis Robert Jr. | Chicago White Sox
For the MLB-worst Chicago White Sox (27-78), Robert is the big name many teams covet heading into the deadline. In 50 games, the injury-plagued outfielder has a poor batting average (.222), but he entices because of his power potential. Of Robert's 42 hits, 22 have gone for extra bases, including 12 home runs.
A change of scenery may get him back to his All-Star-caliber self, but he may be out of Pittsburgh's price range. Per Spotrac, he'll make $12.5M this season and $15M in 2025.
Tommy Pham | Chicago White Sox
Pham has had a solid all-around season, producing a .260/.327/.372 slash line. He signed a minor league contract in the offseason — $3 million with $1.5 million in performance bonuses, per MLB.com — making him a cheap alternative for the thrifty Pirates. He's not a big power hitter, but he's better than what Pittsburgh is rolling out on the field now.
Jesse Winker | Washington Nationals
The Nationals (47-56), who should be sellers at the deadline, may dangle Winker in the trade market. He's a cheap option (one-year, $1.5 million contract, per Spotrac) and has decent numbers (slash line of .256/.374/.422) with 11 home runs and 44 RBI.
Taylor Ward | Los Angeles Angels
Ward, who has spent his entire career with the Angels, probably needs a change of scenery. He's hitting only .226, but he has decent power (14 HR, 18 doubles) and 45 RBI in 367 at-bats. Plus, he's not expensive — notice a theme here? — earning $4.8 million this season.
More must-reads:
- Rumor: Pirates in on White Sox Outfielder; Why They Should and Shouldn’t
- Report: Pirates Considering Chisholm, Ward; Could Josh Bell Return?
- The 'National League MVPs' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Milwaukee Brewers Shortstop Joey Ortiz Will Not Play Game 4 vs Chicago Cubs on Wednesday
For the first time since early July, the Milwaukee Brewers have lost back-to-back games, dropping both contests of a doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. They lost the first game 6-4 and the second 4-1. In both games, their starting pitchers, Chad Patrick and Brandon Woodruff, failed to keep their pitch counts low and Cubs hitters off the basepaths. The second game was especially frustrating as Milwaukee’s offense forced Cubs starter Jameson Taillon to throw 30 pitches in the first inning, a frame that saw them score their only run, only to swing early and often after the opening frame, allowing Chicago’s starter to get through six innings. Taillon threw just 62 pitches between the second and sixth innings, and at one point retired 11 Brewers hitters in row. But the two games were not the only things Milwaukee lost on Tuesday. It appears they will be without their starting shortstop, Joey Ortiz, tomorrow and perhaps longer. Milwaukee Brewers Shortstop Joey Ortiz Has a Bone Bruise in His Knee Ortiz was 0-2 with a walk in the Game One of the doubleheader, but was pinch hit for later in the game by Anthony Seigler, who struck out. In Game Two, Ortiz was 1-3, but was not able to finish the game. He fouled a ball of his knee during his last at bat, prompting the Brewers to replace him Andruw Monasterio. Of course, Brewers fans’ minds immediately went to 2019 when Christian Yelich broke his knee cap when he fouled a ball off of it late in the season. Fortunately, x-rays revealed that Ortiz did not break any bones. Rather, he has a bone bruise which, in addition to some stomach issues, will keep him out of the lineup on Wednesday: Ortiz is hitting .233/.285/.329 with seven home runs and 43 RBI this season. It is likely that Monasterio will start in place of Ortiz.
Chicago Bears looking at bringing back familiar face at running back
The Chicago Bears don’t appear satisfied with their running back room with one week left to decide the 53-man roster. The Bears have until Aug. 26 to make their final cuts before preparing for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. The Bears entered training camp with questions at running back. Veteran D’Andre Swift had a down year in 2024. Roschon Johnson isn’t a long-term solution, and seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai will have a steep learning curve when the regular season begins. The Chicago Bears worked out a former running back Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC, the Bears worked out running backs Royce Freeman, undrafted rookie Kylin James and former Carolina Panthers practice-squad player Dillon Johnson. Royce Freeman played with the Bears in 2024 Of the three, Freeman is the only running back with stats at the NFL level. Freeman, a third-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2018, has appeared in 79 games and started nine games. He’s rushed 471 times for 1,472 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Bears signed Freeman to the practice squad in December. He was then signed to the Los Angeles Rams practice squad in January. He last played a regular-season game in 2023, when he added 319 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games for the Rams. The Bears are signaling their need for a running back this summer. There are other options available in the trade market, as the Washington Commanders are shopping Brian Robinson Jr. during the preseason. More running backs will be available after other teams trim their rosters to 53 players, but they might not be the type of athletes to make a significant boost for the offense early in the regular season.
Former Green Bay Packers RB to miss entire 2025 NFL season due to injury
The Green Bay Packers are dealing with some concerning injuries to significant members of their roster. As their fans are well aware, the Packers have seen multiple wide receivers projected to be at the top of the depth cart go down during training camp with various injuries. Christian Watson, of course, has not been practicing all offseason as he is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Week 18 against the Chicago Bears. In addition to him, the Packers also played their previous preseason game without Romeo Doubs (back), Jayden Reed (foot) and Dontayvion Wicks (calf). And while Doubs returned to practice this week, Reed and Wicks remain out. Elsewhere around the NFL, other teams are dealing with injuries of their own, and some involve players that are former Packers. Former Green Bay Packers running back Patrick Taylor is out for the 2025-26 NFL season One of these players is former Packers running back Patrick Taylor, who played in Green Bay from 2021-2023. An undrafted free agent who often filled in as Green Bay’s third running back, he accumulated 261 rushing yards and a touchdown in his three seasons with the Packers. He found himself out of a job when the Packers revamped their running back room before the 2024 NFL season. Taylor ended up with the San Francisco 49ers last season and had the best year of his career with 183 rushing yards and a touchdown while appearing in 13 games. He will not be playing any games this season as San Francisco just put him on season-ending injured reserve: NFL teams can only have so many players on an injured reserve list. Interestingly, Taylor’s injury led to the 49ers to release another former Packer, wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, who was placed on injured reserve last week. In order to release an injured player, teams and that player must come to an injury settlement, which St. Brown received. He is now free to sign with any team in the NFL should he be able to pass a physical.
What teams are asking about Commanders’ Brian Robinson Jr. amid trade interest
After reports surrounding Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr.’s imminent exit amid trade interest, that notion was confirmed this week. Coach Dan Quinn confirmed the Commanders’ plans for Robinson Jr. as he was also inactive in Monday’s 31-17 preseason loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. After the loss, Quinn released a statement that the Commanders and Robinson Jr. would be going their separate ways, which means a potential trade should be coming down the pike soon, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. “Brian Robinson Jr. did not play, and Dan Quinn pretty much, confirming that they’re going to move on from Robinson here,” Garafolo said. “He is set to make a total of $3.5 million per this season in the final year of his deal. So, it’s looking like a potential trade. Both sides agreed he’s not going to play to play in that game to keep a trade alive — didn’t want him to get hurt in that case.” Still, there isn’t an apparent reason why the Commanders are actively shopping Robinson Jr. for potential suitors. “I know there’s interest because, as I’ve reported this, I’ve heard from teams that are saying, “What happened there?” How did he fall out of favor? Does he want a new contract? Yeah, I mean, eventually he does,” Garafolo added. “But this is a contract year, and right now, given this situation, my understanding is he wants the best possible situation for him to have the best possible season to set him up for a payday this offseason as a free agent. “So, right now, all about fit for Brian Robinson. I believe he’s going to have a new home. If it’s not via trade and they got to cut him, he’ll have a new home in short order,” Garafolo concluded. Dan Quinn hints at Brian Robinson Jr’s Commanders exit The plans to sit Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. against the Bengals only fueled trade interest until head coach Dan Quinn’s public interest confirmed suspicion. “There’s just a lot of moving parts this time of year,” Quinn said via a team transcript. “Those things take place. And so I just wanted to make sure that’s my responsibility to let the team know whenever I can, so they’re not hearing any information from anywhere else. So that was all more of the standard operating procedure for me.” Quinn added that he has too much respect for Robinson Jr. to reveal what led to the Commanders’ decision to part ways with their veteran running back.
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