I don't like it for the Reds (which means I do like it ;)). For a team with a need at 2B, that would be a fair price. But Lux seems a minor upgrade for them. Maybe I'm underselling Lux.
One interesting aspect of the trade is that the Dodgers drafted Sirota out of HS before he went on to college.
Reds must really like Lux, trade doesn't make a lot of sense on their end. Dodgers got a prospect they like and a top 40 pick, for someone they pretty much gave up on.
I know its not at all an exciting move, but I feel like Austin Hays is probably a fairly likely move to round out the roster. Before last season, he put together 3 straight years of 2-3 bWAR, which would be a very welcome addition if he could get to that level (huge IF there)
I wouldn't mind Hayes, but I don't see the fit on this roster. I don't think he would come to Pittsburgh to play 30% of the time. He's damn near unplayable vs RHP but crushes vs LHP.
I'm guessing with their budget; they'll sign Verdugo on the cheap for a 1-year deal. If his babip bounces back, he could be a 2-win player.
Verdugo balances out the lineup a little better as well and they already have guys like Yorke and possibly Cook who can caddy for him.
Cherington can sell it to the Yinzers - Alex is a very good player and has started a lot of games for the Dodgers, Red Sox and Yankees. The only thing that I would be hesitant on is the character issues. Heard he is a pretty big DBag.
Thats a fair point, I kinda glossed over the part where a left handed bat fits the roster much more than another righty. Ive also heard plenty of his character issues but i wonder if he grew up in new york at all. Verdugo also has the benefit of being a solid defender where Hays gives up value in that area
I wouldn’t mind Hays because I’m not opposed to giving Jack another shot. His career splits aren’t as severe as last year. And if Hays does struggle against righties again, and Jack struggles again, I think a Hays/Palacios platoon might be a little more serviceable than some think.
Get the sentiment. But Statcast likes the bat speed, amongst other things and Steamer has him and Verdugo projected for identical OPS numbers next year.
I just listened to the NS9 podcast from this week and those dudes convinced me Taylor ward is the solution we seek. Money and price and upside are all acceptable and his statcast page is pretty solid
I’ve been on the taylor Ward train since the deadline. Should have done it then instead of BDLC. I hope they still get him. He would give them another legit bat in the middle of the order. Just not sure what they’d want for him.
It’s a bit disheartening. Doesn’t even seem like we are in on anyone other than Verdugo. That’s a contrast to last year, where we heard they were a finalist for Imanaga.
You mean the Imanaga that is guaranteed 52 million for 4 years and went 15-3 last year with a 2.91 ERA and 1.02 whip? In today's market, that is a pretty good deal.
Zips just dropped for the Brewers. They may lack in true stars but they are set with 3 win players all around the roster which feels like a super high floor and wouldnt be surprised if someone like Chourio ended up with 5+ WAR
That's what struck me too--all but two positions are listed as around 3 WAR, and each member of their rotation is projected for ~2-3 WAR (and their bullpen 5+ WAR even without Williams). Just amazing depth and consistency.
I also agree on Chourio--he's only projected for 2.6 WAR and I could easily see him doubling that.
What a well-run organization. Speaking of which, I saw an article last week that grouped them with the Rays as the model organizations for building contenders for less--some of us have been saying that for a while.
So Arnold was a better GM hire than Cherington? Surely not! And what other owner could compare to Nutting on baseball issues (at least he's a nice guy according to Cutch)?
Just a bit of caution with those rotation WARs. If you keep scrolling down to *pitchers advanced* you'll see the true WAR.
Cortes - 2.6
Peralta - 2.3
Myers - 1.5
Woodruff - 1.4
Civale - 1.2
Brewers as is, are projected to get 38.3 WAR, Pirates are 4.5 wins below that at 33.8. Buccos starters are projected to get 14.1 WAR , which is 7th out of 30 teams. How can the Pirates close the gap and get 5 more wins this off-season?
Having a continued pipeline of guys making noise as top rookies to come up would be one way to build sustained success. After Bubba, our next best hopes are probably Termarr/Barco for next year? Not that I am truly expecting either of those to jump forward, but sure would be nice if they did
Roansy Contreras got dfa'd again to make space for Lux.
Can we get 2022 Roansy back?
Did he ever really exist? Was it a dream?
I close my eyes
Only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams
Pass before my eyes, a curiosity
Dust in the wind
All they are is dust in the wind
Have Willie Nelson in my head…..”On the road again……”
Man, what happened there? Roansy, not Willie.
Ro is on the road again…….everyone picking him up just to drop him again….
Lorenzen for OF is out. He actually might have been better in RF than the gazillion guys who played there for the Bucs last year!
Sounds like Gavin lux is potentially available, would he be worth the price needed to get him?
The Reds just traded for him, and they were one of the last teams I would have guessed, given how many infielders they have.
They gave up a compA pick and Mike Sirota.
I don't like it for the Reds (which means I do like it ;)). For a team with a need at 2B, that would be a fair price. But Lux seems a minor upgrade for them. Maybe I'm underselling Lux.
One interesting aspect of the trade is that the Dodgers drafted Sirota out of HS before he went on to college.
Here’s a sobering fact: Lux was worth 1.5 fWAR in 2024. That would have put him third among Pirates position players.
Replacement for the Dodgers, they want rings.
Reds must really like Lux, trade doesn't make a lot of sense on their end. Dodgers got a prospect they like and a top 40 pick, for someone they pretty much gave up on.
Sirota doesn’t seem like a big loss.
There has to be another show to drop. Either that or the reds think Lux can make the throws across the diamond from 3rd. Maybe McLain can play 3rd.
I'd have worries about either of them at 3rd.
Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2025 Pittsburgh Pirates
1. Cutch
2. Reynolds
3. Cruz
4. Bart
5. Horwitz
6. Gonzales
7. Verdugo
8. Hayes
9. IKF
Yorke
Cook
Delay
Triolo
This is Ben Cherington trying for 2 years in a row.
I’ll take the bait on a slow news day…I don’t think delay makes the opening day roster over one of Endy or Hank
I know its not at all an exciting move, but I feel like Austin Hays is probably a fairly likely move to round out the roster. Before last season, he put together 3 straight years of 2-3 bWAR, which would be a very welcome addition if he could get to that level (huge IF there)
Not sure how this ended up under the Brewers thread, but I’m relocating the comment to the right spot:
“Agree. As much as I’d love to see the big moves, Horwitz and Verdugo or Hays is >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (infinity) than Tellez and MAT.”
I wouldn't mind Hayes, but I don't see the fit on this roster. I don't think he would come to Pittsburgh to play 30% of the time. He's damn near unplayable vs RHP but crushes vs LHP.
I'm guessing with their budget; they'll sign Verdugo on the cheap for a 1-year deal. If his babip bounces back, he could be a 2-win player.
Verdugo balances out the lineup a little better as well and they already have guys like Yorke and possibly Cook who can caddy for him.
Cherington can sell it to the Yinzers - Alex is a very good player and has started a lot of games for the Dodgers, Red Sox and Yankees. The only thing that I would be hesitant on is the character issues. Heard he is a pretty big DBag.
Thats a fair point, I kinda glossed over the part where a left handed bat fits the roster much more than another righty. Ive also heard plenty of his character issues but i wonder if he grew up in new york at all. Verdugo also has the benefit of being a solid defender where Hays gives up value in that area
I wouldn’t mind Hays because I’m not opposed to giving Jack another shot. His career splits aren’t as severe as last year. And if Hays does struggle against righties again, and Jack struggles again, I think a Hays/Palacios platoon might be a little more serviceable than some think.
Please, no more Palacios. Nice story, nice guy, nice family, not so nice MLB player.
Get the sentiment. But Statcast likes the bat speed, amongst other things and Steamer has him and Verdugo projected for identical OPS numbers next year.
Pathetic choices.
Digging deeper at Hays Statcast page...
*Similar batters to Austin Hays: 2023 BDLC.
If they're going to go this route, just trade for Taylor Ward. But they won't as he doesn't have YOC and he costs $.
I just listened to the NS9 podcast from this week and those dudes convinced me Taylor ward is the solution we seek. Money and price and upside are all acceptable and his statcast page is pretty solid
I’ve been on the taylor Ward train since the deadline. Should have done it then instead of BDLC. I hope they still get him. He would give them another legit bat in the middle of the order. Just not sure what they’d want for him.
Im sold and im with you
Pirates news is coming fast and furious as the drive to "improve" the team continues.
It’s a bit disheartening. Doesn’t even seem like we are in on anyone other than Verdugo. That’s a contrast to last year, where we heard they were a finalist for Imanaga.
You mean the Imanaga that is guaranteed 52 million for 4 years and went 15-3 last year with a 2.91 ERA and 1.02 whip? In today's market, that is a pretty good deal.
Zips just dropped for the Brewers. They may lack in true stars but they are set with 3 win players all around the roster which feels like a super high floor and wouldnt be surprised if someone like Chourio ended up with 5+ WAR
That's what struck me too--all but two positions are listed as around 3 WAR, and each member of their rotation is projected for ~2-3 WAR (and their bullpen 5+ WAR even without Williams). Just amazing depth and consistency.
I also agree on Chourio--he's only projected for 2.6 WAR and I could easily see him doubling that.
What a well-run organization. Speaking of which, I saw an article last week that grouped them with the Rays as the model organizations for building contenders for less--some of us have been saying that for a while.
So Arnold was a better GM hire than Cherington? Surely not! And what other owner could compare to Nutting on baseball issues (at least he's a nice guy according to Cutch)?
They are very well run.
Just a bit of caution with those rotation WARs. If you keep scrolling down to *pitchers advanced* you'll see the true WAR.
Cortes - 2.6
Peralta - 2.3
Myers - 1.5
Woodruff - 1.4
Civale - 1.2
Brewers as is, are projected to get 38.3 WAR, Pirates are 4.5 wins below that at 33.8. Buccos starters are projected to get 14.1 WAR , which is 7th out of 30 teams. How can the Pirates close the gap and get 5 more wins this off-season?
Savvy moves in RF and the pen could do it I think. I don’t think I trust they will actually make that happen
Having a continued pipeline of guys making noise as top rookies to come up would be one way to build sustained success. After Bubba, our next best hopes are probably Termarr/Barco for next year? Not that I am truly expecting either of those to jump forward, but sure would be nice if they did