Since 2010 I'd say, the Pirates have been one of the main exports of relievers every July. Because they can't always stay competitive, and because so many great relievers either develop there or come over cheap and have great seasons, they are constantly trading relievers at the deadline. You could build an entire bullpen of the guys who the Pirates have dealt midyear. Jason Grilli, Mark Melancon, Tony Watson, Richard Rodriguez, Chris Stratton, etc, etc. The one they decided to hold onto, Felipe Vazquez, was the one that happened to be a darkly deplorable human being, meaning the Rays aren't the only ones.
And so this year, while I assume David Bednar might be on the block as well, there's been eyes on Dennis Santana, who's been having a phenomenal year in relief, with a 1.49 ERA in 42 innings. Santana kicked around the league for a while before solidifying, having a ton of more serviceable than anything seasons in markets like LA and Texas. Last year he was a part of the early iteration of the Yankees' bullpen, and like Caleb Ferguson he was jettisoned midyear. The Bucs straightened him out and benefitted from a 2.44 ERA in 39 games, then plugged him into a crucial setup role this year. Since Bednar figured his shit out, the Pirates' bullpen has been a ton better overall, and Santana has been a very big piece of that. However, a good bullpen for a team that doesn't hit is basically like good dialogue in a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie; a nice touch, but ultimately meaningless.
So naturally people are calling. For a bit it was looking like the Yankees were chasing Santana, and one could argue that this potentially would go as well as it did last April [not well at all]. What killed that, at least for the moment, was the Pirates' asking price. I think a lot of people in trades are asking for guys like Spencer Jones, or potentially George Lombard. Everybody knows they're there, and everybody knows they don't have room to play right now. The outfield is full, short is filled. But the Yankees aren't moving on those two. They're banking on the potential for a Judge-Jasson-Jones outfield in a couple years, and they don't want to spoil that. Besides, I think Cashman has bigger fish to fry this deadline. The key word there is 'think', I've been screwed by Cashman before around this time of year [see: Bader for Montgomery].
Obviously a lot of teams need serious bullpen help. The Phillies, if they ever figure out how to undo the curse on their pen, could use the help, but they're also chasing Clase and Duran. The Red Sox are probably looking at relievers, the Jays and Braves may be in on it, possibly even the Giants. And because it's the Pirates, I think the mystique is gone. They know people are gonna be dealt, they're not hiding it. They ARE, however, saying Paul Skenes is off limits, which...I mean, it's either now or next year at this rate, man. You're not gonna extend him, you're not gonna let the team compete, you're not selling. Don't prolong the inevitable just to fill seats once a week.
Aside from the gutting at hand, the Pirates are coming off a 3-game win streak after an impressive sweep of the Detroit Tigers. They're riding high on nice stretches from Ke'Bryan Hayes and Mitch Keller, and they're finally seeing what Tommy Pham's capable of when he doesn't absolutely loathe playing. Things are still bleak, but at the very least there's some life to this team, and whatever needs to be rebuilt will be somewhat necessary I think. They'll be playing the Diamondbacks this weekend, another would-be seller, and it'll be interesting to see how many 'last at-bat as a ____' moments we see.
Coming Tomorrow- He throws 100 miles an hour. Maybe down and in a few too many times, but he definitely throws smoke.
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