Pirates Confirm Trade Need Fans Wanted to Hear
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates head into an important trade deadline with a few crucial additions they must get to improve their chances of making the postseason.
The Pirates will look towards bullpen additions as their main need at the trade deadline, specifically a closer that they can rely on to get them close wins.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington spoke to the local media about the trade deadline and said that he believes the bullpen has pitchers that can get those important wins, but that they will add if they can bolster that group.
“We need to get outs at the end of the game when we have close leads, so that certainly is important," Cherington said. "I do think there's more than one way to do that. I believe we have pitchers here right now who can do that.
"It would be great if we could add someone who can also do that, is proven to do that, or we think is capable of doing that, has the stuff, the competitiveness, to do that. So it's something that we'll keep an eye out for, but I think I think we just have to close out games, and there's going to be more than one way to do that and if we can add to the group between now and the deadline and if that helps that and we should be fine doing that.”
Why the Pirates Need a Closer
The Pirates have struggled all season to close out games and hold on to leads when needed, throwing away wins that would have them in a much better spot in the NL Wild Card race.
Pittsburgh has 21 saves in 40 opportunities, meaning 19 blown saves, which is more like blown holds rather than a traditional save, but highlights the problem the team faces.
The Pirates had Dennis Santana as a closer, but he regressed massively from last season and they recently designated him for assignment.
Left-handed relief pitcher Gregory Soto has been a closer at times, but struggled throughout June and didn't close out games as he should've in difficult losses for the Pirates.
Fellow lefty Mason Montgomery will get some save opportunities going forward, but both he and Soto are much better earlier in the game and a closer could help make the Pirates' bullpen much better overall if they add one.
What Closers Could the Pirates Add at Trade Deadline?
There are a few options for the Pirates come the Aug. 3 trade deadline, some of which will cost more and others that might be easier to get.
One player that Pirates fans would love to land is San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Mason Miller, who is the best closer in baseball, with 27 saves in 27 opportunities.
Miller is from the Pittsburgh area, playing for Bethel Park High School, and has three more years of team control, giving the Pirates their closer through the rest of the decade.
He will command a high trade package and if the Padres are still in the NL Wild Card race then he will likely stay put, but the allure of the hometown kid closing out wins for the Pirates in the playoffs may be too hard to ignore.
The Pirates could also go after some other pitchers in New York Mets right-handers Luke Weaver and Huascar Brazobán, neither of whom have been in the closer role this year, but have had effective seasons nonetheless and could do well in that situation after a trade.
Pittsburgh reportedly showed interest in Yankees right-handed pitcher Camilo Doval, someone who has previous experience as a closer and would take that role if the Pirates traded for him.
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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.