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There's a possibility that the Pittsburgh Pirates will be very interested in some of the top players on this year's trade deadline market. The Pirates, at least in years past, haven't done enough to improve on both sides of the baseball.
That's part of the reason this team has typically been buyers, and part of the reason I continue to suggest that, until they do so, I have my fair share of questions about what they're actually going to do. However, all indications point to the Pirates buying at the moment.
Again, we don't know exactly what they're going after, but it's a good sign that Pittsburgh is expected to make a move, with one name recently floated as an option. The Pirates have a long list of potential options, but according to ESPN, they could be interested in Luis Arraez, the left-handed-hitting infielder who puts the ball in play at a ridiculous level and is having some year with the San Francisco Giants.
“The scouting report: Among the least expected things to happen this season is Arraez going from one of the worst defensive second basemen in the league in 2023 to a below-average every-day first baseman in 2024-25 to a plus defensive second baseman in 2026. Behold the power of infield defense whisperer Ron Washington, the Giants infield coach. This improvement changes the outlook for Arraez, as slipping down the defensive spectrum is a big reason his free agent market was tepid. Now, his MLB-best contact ability combined with real defensive value means his lack of power and speed shouldn't keep him from posting a 3-win or even a 4-win season. The question is how long this new version will hold up, but he turned 29 in April, so presumably a few more years, at least.
“Best fits: Rays, Nationals, Dodgers, Yankees, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Guardians, Pirates,” Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote.
It doesn't make a whole lot of sense that Arraez has had the market he has over the past few seasons.
Not to say that he's a perfect player, as he's typically been a below-average defender and his lack of slugging has raised questions, but he can really put the ball in play at a ridiculous level, and he's playing above-average defense and getting on base at a ridiculous level. Any contending team would be lucky to have him, so the Pirates should at least show some interest.
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That's part of the reason this team has typically been buyers, and part of the reason I continue to suggest that, until they do so, I have my fair share of questions about what they're actually going to do. However, all indications point to the Pirates buying at the moment.
Again, we don't know exactly what they're going after, but it's a good sign that Pittsburgh is expected to make a move, with one name recently floated as an option. The Pirates have a long list of potential options, but according to ESPN, they could be interested in Luis Arraez, the left-handed-hitting infielder who puts the ball in play at a ridiculous level and is having some year with the San Francisco Giants.
“The scouting report: Among the least expected things to happen this season is Arraez going from one of the worst defensive second basemen in the league in 2023 to a below-average every-day first baseman in 2024-25 to a plus defensive second baseman in 2026. Behold the power of infield defense whisperer Ron Washington, the Giants infield coach. This improvement changes the outlook for Arraez, as slipping down the defensive spectrum is a big reason his free agent market was tepid. Now, his MLB-best contact ability combined with real defensive value means his lack of power and speed shouldn't keep him from posting a 3-win or even a 4-win season. The question is how long this new version will hold up, but he turned 29 in April, so presumably a few more years, at least.
“Best fits: Rays, Nationals, Dodgers, Yankees, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Guardians, Pirates,” Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote.
It doesn't make a whole lot of sense that Arraez has had the market he has over the past few seasons.
Not to say that he's a perfect player, as he's typically been a below-average defender and his lack of slugging has raised questions, but he can really put the ball in play at a ridiculous level, and he's playing above-average defense and getting on base at a ridiculous level. Any contending team would be lucky to have him, so the Pirates should at least show some interest.
Continue reading...
