The MLB trade deadline on August 1st is rapidly approaching, and the trade rumors around the Pittsburgh Pirates are starting to heat up. The Pirates are 47-45, but a few games back of a Wild Card berth. The Pirates are leaning toward buying at the deadline, although that is not set in stone. With that in mind, here all the latest Pirates trade rumors you need to know.
Pirates looking to upgrade pitching
Pittsburgh feels confident in their lineup, so they are looking to upgrade both their starting rotation and bullpen before the deadline, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
General manager Neal Huntington continues to scour the trade market for upgrades to the rotation and bullpen. The non-waiver trade deadline is Aug. 1.
“We're doing due diligence on all fronts, but the pitching is what seems to need the most help at this point unless we're willing to go with what we've got internally,” Huntington said.
Through Saturday, the rotation ranked 12th in the National League in ERA (4.86), 12th in innings pitched, 13th in strikeouts, fourth worst in walks and next to last in batting average against.
Whoever rounds out the rotation when the calendar flips over, the starters must improve down the stretch.
“A sense of urgency? No. There is enough pressure up here as it is,” Cole said. “But, yeah, I think there's a sense of ‘Let's get this done.'
“Everyone's aware of what we've done up to this point and where we can improve. Everybody is pretty eager to try to attack those things. That reset (at the All-Star break) was good to step away and put things in perspective. I'm sure everybody is (eager) to do their part and keep this ship going in the right direction.”
The Pirates rank in the bottom half of the league in every major pitching category, including ERA (4.30) and opponent's batting average (.266).
Targeting Matt Moore?
That quest to find a pitcher has led the Pirates to Tampa Bay, where they have been scouting and are pursuing Matt Moore. Via MLBTradeRumors' Connor Byrne:
Matt Moore, another of the Rays’ coveted starters, drew scouts from theDodgers, Red Sox, Rangers, Pirates and Nationals for his Saturday start, per Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times. As is the case with Odorizzi, the Rangers are also engaging with the Rays about Moore, so Texas’ interest isn’t a revelation. Moore spun 7 1/3 two-run innings in a 2-1 loss and dropped his ERA to 4.33. The 27-year-old has also put up 7.58 K/9 against 2.63 BB/9 this season.
Moore is 5-7 this season with 98 strikeouts in 19 starts this season.
Pirates always looking to acquire Eovaldi?
Nathan Eovaldi emerged as a great young pitcher for the Yankees last season, posting a 14-3 record in his first season with the team. However, his struggles this season has put him on the trade block, according to Biertempfel of the:
As they look to recast their starting rotation, the Pirates have talked with the New York Yankees about a possible trade for right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, a source told the Tribune-Review.
After allowing six runs in 4 1⁄3 innings on July 1 against the San Diego Padres, Eovaldi was moved into the bullpen.
On Friday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Eovaldi will go back into the rotation on Tuesday. Last season, Eovaldi put together a string of solid outings in the second half, posting a 3.67 ERA in nine starts.
The Texas Rangers reportedly also are interested in Eovaldi.
The 26-year-old Eovaldi is 7-6 with a 5.11 ERA in 19 appearances this season, including 16 starts.
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