Three Relievers Pirates Can Still Trade For at Deadline
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The Pittsburgh Pirates still have a lot of work to do before the trade deadline arrives.
Landing Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees was a nice high-upside move, but the Pirates must bring in at least one or two more quality relievers if they want to give themselves the best chance of snapping their 10-year playoff drought.
A number of enticing options remain on the board, and here are three Pittsburgh should pursue over the next few hours.
Kenley Jansen
One of the most accomplished closers in recent memory, Jansen is nearing the end of his career at 38-years-old.
Still, the right-hander has been quite effective for the Detroit Tigers this season. Over 29 2/3 innings spanning 33 appearances, Jansen has logged a 3.94 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 13 saves.
The four-time All-Star's numbers under the hood are impressive as well with a 32.9 percent hard-hit rate, xERA of 3.43 and xBA of .196.
Jansen may not throw hard, but he's still a reliable late-game right-handed option, which Pittsburgh desperately needs.
He has a $12 million club option for 2027, though it could be bought out for $2 million.
Ryan Zeferjahn
The Los Angeles Angels opened the floodgates by trading right-handed starting pitcher to the Toronto Blue Jays, and Zeferjahn could be next.
Though they traded another controllable reliever in Chase Silseth to the Texas Rangers last week, it doesn't appear as though that'll limit the Angels from moving Zeferjahn for the right package.
A 28-year-old right-hander, Zeferjahn has recorded a 3.66 ERA with a whopping 75 strikeouts in 51 2/3 frames this year.
Furthermore, his xBA of .161 ranks in the 100th percentile according to Baseball Savant while his whiff rate of 34.6 percent falls in the 96th percentile.
Zeferjahn does a good job of limiting hard contact too, and he won't reach free agency until after the 2030 season.
The price tag is surely high for him, but Pittsburgh should seriously consider meeting Los Angeles' asking price.
Luke Weaver
The Pirates were reportedly showing some level of interest in Brooks Raley and Huascar Brazoban, but the New York Mets traded the two veteran bullpen arms to the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox, respectively.
As a result, that leaves Weaver as the lone valuable reliever left for New York to trade ahead of the deadline.
The right-hander has been lights-out for the Mets after signing a two-year deal worth $22 million in the offseason, boasting a 1.84 ERA and 2.82 FIP over 44 innings as the club's set-up man.
Weaver won't come cheap, and his $11 million salary in 2027 could create some sort of roadblock in talks with New York, though he's an inarguably fantastic fit in Pittsburgh's bullpen next to the likes of Gregory Soto, Mason Montgomery, Evan Sisk and Doval.
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Jack is a New Jersey native who graduated from the University of Pittsburgh as a Media & Professional Communications major in 2024 who is now covering the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Yankees for On SI.