PITTSBURGH — The Pirates made two big trades on Tuesday, acquiring Texas Rangers closer Keone Kela and Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer.
The acquisitions were a significant departure from the way the Pirates have done business in the past, with the price paid for Archer exceeding anything the Pirates have given in the past, and Kela the first sitting MLB closer the Pirates have added under Neal Huntington.
Archer is going to be the headline-grabber as a player that could be the top-line starter the Pirates have lacked since trading Gerrit Cole in January. But to me, the acquisition of Kela might actually be more significant when it comes to the Pirates change of strategy and its potential future impact.