Grading Pirates Trade Deadline Moves: Bullpen Greatly Improves
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MILWAUKEE — The Pittsburgh Pirates and general manager Ben Cherington knew they had to make a statement at the trade deadline and they mostly did that.
The Pirates landed three right-handed relief pitchers on the Aug. 3 trade deadline, which ended up becoming four pitchers, as they added Camilo Doval of the New York Yankees two days prior, on Aug. 1.
Pittsburgh traded for Luke Weaver of the New York Mets, then Kirby Yates of the Los Angeles Angels and then Lake Bachar of the Miami Marlins, with the latter two coming right at the 6:00 p.m. EST deadline.
The three new additions will join the Pirates ahead of their second contest of a four-game series vs. the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Aug. 4, where they'll get to pitch for the team for the first time.
Luke Weaver Becomes Best Bullpen Arm
Weaver was a player the Pirates showed trade interest in most recently and also prior to the deadline and for good reason, too, as he's been one of the best relievers in baseball in 2026.
He posted a 1.84 ERA over 42 outings for the Mets this season, with 45 strikeouts to 11 walks, a .162 batting average allowed and a 0.82 WHIP.
Weaver excelled in both the seventh and eighth inning and also had success against left-handed hitting as a right-handed pitcher, making him valuable in late game situations and against any batter.
All of those things make Weaver desirable, but the Pirates also will have him for the 2027 season as well, per the two-year, $22 million contract Weaver signed with the Pirates.
The Pirates also received cash considerations from the Mets, $2,123,529 this season and $6 million for next year, which means they'll pay Weaver near the MLB minimum, which is $780,000 in 2026, and then about $5 million in 2027.
Pittsburgh did part with a rising prospect in shortstop Sammy Stafura, who joined at last year's trade deadline in the deal for former third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, and had an incredible month of July.
Considering that was all the Pirates gave up for Stafura, and them not paying a full salary to Weaver, this trade is an A+.
Lake Bachar Gives Pirates Versatile Reliever
The Pirates have indeed looked for high-leverage arms, but someone like Bachar, who can fill multiple roles, is also quite valuable to them.
Bachar has thrown a varying amount of different types of outings, pitching three innings on three different occasions, more than two innings 14 times and more than one inning five times.
He can take on a spot start, which he did vs. the Pirates on June 13 at PNC Park, work as a middle reliever or even come in late if needed, especially in extra innings.
Bachar also has some great offspeed stuff, with both his slider and curveball his best pitches this season, inducing weak contact, chase-and-miss and good strikeout rates.
The Pirates did give up three prospects for Bachar in right-handed relief pitcher Brandan Bidois, plus outfielders in Brian Sanchez and Hyun Seung Lee.
Bidois pitched for the Pirates this season, becoming the first Australian to feature for the team, Sanchez came in the David Bednar trade with the Yankees at last year's deadline and Lee is an 18-year-old outfielder from South Korea who was between the Florida Complex League and Single-A Bradenton.
Three prospects may seem like a lot for Bachar, but he also has four more years of team control, not becoming a free agent until after 2030.
If it works out, the Pirates have a controllable reliever for the next few years and one that could help them immediately in their goal of making the postseason.
This trade earns a "B+" grade and can fluctuate either way in terms of performances from Bachar and the prospects the Pirates traded away.
Kirby Yates Provides Key Veteran Presence
Pittsburgh could always use some more veterans on the team, especially those who have experience in the biggest moments.
Yates, a 12-year MLB veteran and 39-year-old pitcher provides just that, giving the Pirates pitchers a role model and someone who understands the game incredibly well.
He has also had success as a closer, with 41 saves in 44 opportunities with the San Diego Padres in 2019 and 33 saves in 34 opportunities with the Texas Rangers in 2024.
Yates earned All-Star nods in both seasons and led the National League in saves in 2019.
He posted a 3.95 ERA over 31 games with the Angels this season, while maintaining a .202 BAA and a 1.17 WHIP.
The Pirates adding Yates allows the team to have different options for how they utilize the bullpen, giving other pitchers a break and also thriving in high-leverage spots.
Pittsburgh gave up little for Yates, right-handed pitching prospect Kyle Robinson, who was at Double-A Altoona and joined in June from the Athletics in the Alika Williams trade.
It's a solid addition and well-worth of a "B" grade for the Pirates.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.