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The second half of this Major League Baseball season, which began this past weekend in Cleveland for the Pittsburgh Pirates, holds the promise of being one of the most interesting for the club in recent memory.
Led by an offense which was tied for first place among all major league teams in runs scored (516) with the Washington Nationals entering the all-star break, the Pirates have legitimate aspirations of cracking the National League's postseason field for the first time since the 2015 season.
Though that won't be an easy task, what the Bucs do before the all-important upcoming MLB trade deadline -- which this year is set for 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 3 -- will undoubtedly factor very heavily in their on-the-field success over the final two and a half months of the season.
The Pirates will be buyers and not sellers in the coming weeks. Full stop.
Their biggest need is late-inning bullpen help, but a left-handed starting pitcher to balance out an exclusively right-handed rotation could also be in the cards. Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin's hand injury takes a strong bat out of the left side of the Pirates infield for over six weeks, so the Bucs may actually also be looking at adding another bat there for the stretch run.
As is always the case, elite names are being floated around in the trade rumor mill as August approaches. Top echelon closers Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres and Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox have been mentioned as trade chips, along with three-time National League batting champion Luis Arraez of the San Francisco Giants.
Rumors and speculation are just that, until they come to fruition, and many of the names that are most heavily discussed as trade possibilities in the dog days of summer wind up staying put.
But the next two weeks will be riveting for the Pirates, who have made no secret about their intention to be as aggressive as possible in order to fortify a team that harbors hopes of playing this October.
What follows is a breakdown of the areas in which the Pirates are likely to make their biggest changes in the next couple of weeks, and some of the possible candidates to be wearing the Bucs' Black and Gold uniforms on August 4.
Late-inning relief
Garrett Whitlock, Boston Red Sox: Whitlock has been a superb set-up man for Chapman, a nine-time all-star who has converted 19 of his first 21 save opportunities this year. ESPN baseball analyst Jeff Passan has pegged the right-handed throwing Whitlock as a "best fit" for the Pirates' bullpen needs, and his 6 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio and 0.68 earned run average in his last 14 appearances before the break are certainly eye-catching numbers, as his controllable and affordable contract -- the remainder of his $7.5 million this year, along with club options for $8.25 million in 2027 and $10.5 million in 2028. The Red Sox enjoyed a recent 9-0 road streak that has stoked their American League playoff hopes and now renders the chances of the Bosox moving Chapman -- who signed as a free agent with Pittsburgh for the 2024 season --- as very remote.
Luke Weaver, New York Mets: This 11-year MLB veteran right-hander began his career as a starting pitcher and stayed in that role until 2024, when his moving to the bullpen for the Mets dropped his ERA from above six runs per game in the 2022 and 2023 seasons to 2.89. He carried a sparkling 1.95 ERA into the break this season. Weaver is highly sought after for several reasons. Among them is that he has shown the capability of being both an effective set-up man in the eighth inning, or capably chewing up multiple innings as a mid-to-late inning reliever. If he's traded to the Pirates, he would also be under contract control for the 2027 season, as he is currently on a two-year, $22 million deal with the Mets. Like Whitlock, there's plenty to like about Weaver.
Mason Miller, San Diego Padres: The Pittsburgh area native, who spent his high school days at suburban Bethel Park, has been one of MLB's top closers for several seasons. The Padres, who have fallen out of contention for the National League West Division championship and sit remotely on the Wild Card bubble, may be open to dealing Miller for the proverbial king's ransom of veterans and/or prospects if San Diego's season continues to go sideways. Miller's numbers entering the all-star break were otherworldly - a perfect 25 saves/opportunities conversion rate and an 0.91 ERA. Acquiring him may not be realistic, but bringing him back to his hometown would be a coup for the Pirates.
Antonio Senzatela, Colorado Rockies: The perennial last-place Rockies have nothing to lose, and they'll be cleaning house again before the deadline. Senzatela, a lockdown closer who sported an 8-0 record and 3.07 ERA at the break, and can be had for the right return, but a big minus is that he'll be a free agent at year's end and will likely only be a rental for any team that picks him up.
Lefty starting pitching
Robbie Ray, San Francisco Giants: The veteran and former Cy Young Award winner won eight games for a very bad Giants team in the first half of the season, so he still possesses decent credibility on the open market, which he will test as a free agent at season's end.
Reid Detmers, Los Angeles Angels: He's a strikeout guy, with 123 Ks in 108 innings pitched heading into the break, and has a controllable contract, via arbitration, through the 2028 season. Like the Giants, the Angels are non-contenders who will be sellers, and contenders like the Pirates would do well to throw their proverbial caps into the ring.
Batting help
Isaac Paredes, Houston Astros third baseman: Paredes has been on the Pirates' radar for quite some time, and shortstop Griffin's injury creates an offensive void that the modest-hitting Jared Triolo is unlikely to fill. Third baseman Nick Gonzales has one of the best batting averages in the National League, and can play several infield positions, so he could make a seamless transition elsewhere if Paredes brings his 12 homers and 49 RBIs at the all-star break to the Bucs in a trade.
Luis Arraez, San Francisco Giants second baseman: The three-time batting champ and impending free agent possesses elite contact skill at the plate, and even though he'll be a rental for the stretch run, his acquisition would greatly bolster the Pirates' already imposing batting order. Current second baseman Brandon Lowe leads the Bucs in home runs and RBIs, and if Arraez becomes a Pirate, Lowe has the capability to fill the designated hitter spot where veteran Marcell Ozuna has underachieved. Lowe is also an impending free agent, and will command a multi-year contract at season's end, which, considering his production this season, the Pirates would be wise to consider.
Pirates' trade chips
Oneil Cruz: Like Chapman and Miller, Cruz's name has been floated, but the Pirates are unlikely to move the center fielder, who possesses raw talent and is finally coming into his own this season, despite missing significant time with a broken hand. Cruz will return shortly, and bring with him his 30 homer, 60 stolen base potential combination of power and speed that the Pirates would be foolish to send packing during a playoff run.
Spencer Horwitz: A much more likely trade candidate, given that he's had a productive year at the plate and that Ryan O'Hearn will likely take most of the playing time at first base for the Bucs for the remainder of this season, and for all of 2027. The veteran Horwitz could bring back at least one quality relief arm in a trade.
Hunter Barco, left-handed pitcher: There doesn't seem to be much room in the rotation or bullpen for the highly-touted Barco, a former No. 3 prospect in the Pirates' organization who could fit in much better with another contending team.
Jhostynxon Garcia, right fielder: Garcia was a top 100 prospect that the Bucs picked up in a trade with Boston for pitcher Johan Oviedo last December. With veterans Cruz and Bryan Reynolds patrolling center and left field, respectively, and the meteoric emergence of rookie Esmerylyn Valdez in right field, Garcia is a talented player who has become expendable for the Pirates.
(John Hartsock can be reached at jhartsock@altoonamirror.com)