![\"Jo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Adell-1120x630.jpg\")
Los Angeles Angels left fielder Jo Adell makes a sliding catch on a fly out by Texas Rangers’ Josh Jung in the second inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022. (AP Photo\/Tony Gutierrez)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLos Angeles Angels left fielder Jo Adell makes a sliding catch on a fly out by Texas Rangers’ Josh Jung in the second inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022. (AP Photo\/Tony Gutierrez)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The trade deadline is three days away, meaning there\u2019s no better time to answer your questions than now. Let\u2019s get to it!<\/p>\n
Who are your most realistic options for bullpen help as well as a bat that can hit left handed pitching? \u2013 Adam<\/p>\n
I mentioned a handful of options in my trade deadline primer that I wrote yesterday, which can be found here<\/a>. Of the possibilities I named, one has since been traded as the Mets dealt left-hander A.J. Minter to the Twins for a pair of prospects.<\/p>\n Looking at some names who have been mentioned leading up to the deadline, Mason Miller is a pipedream. He\u2019s one of the top players potentially available and a homecoming would be a neat story, but I think the Pirates will be reluctant to meet his asking price. However, his teammate, Adrian Morejon, is a very intriguing option. <\/p>\n The Mets (Luke Weaver, Huascar Brazob\u00e1n), Marlins (Michael Peterson, Lake Bachar, Anthony Bender), Orioles (Yennier Cano, Rico Garcia, Tyler Wells) and Angels (Ryan Zeferjahn, Kirby Yates) are among the teams with multiple options the Pirates to consider. <\/p>\n As for a right-handed bat, I think OF Jo Adell (Angels), OF Lane Thomas (Royals), OF Tyrone Taylor (Mets) and 1B Ty France (Padres) are among the possibilities. <\/p>\n I mocked this trade on AI and it was rated a 10 \u2013 what say you?\u00a0 Termarr Johnson, Hunter Barco and Mitch Jebb to the Angels for Reid Detmers, Ryan Zeferjahn and Jo Adell. \u2013 The Don of Nopo<\/p>\n That trade would be a 10 for the Pirates, but the Angels would want more. Johnson has struggled mightily this season and doesn\u2019t have the same status he did entering the year. Barco is a prospect trending in the wrong direction. Jebb isn\u2019t even a top 30 prospect in the organization anymore.<\/p>\n Detmers, Zeferjahn and Adell are three players who all make sense for the Pirates, but a deal for all three would require a package of better prospects with a strong headliner. I think the Angels would ask for Edward Florentino or Murf Gray. <\/p>\n Will the Pirates get it right and\u00a0trade for meaningful players? \u2013 Ed Helinski<\/p>\n I think they will add important pieces, yes. Despite stumbling out of the post-All-Star break gate, the Pirates realize the position they\u2019re in. They have the offense (which has struggled of late). They have good starting pitching. They\u2019re just missing a couple pieces in the bullpen and another complement or two on the roster.<\/p>\n The bullpen will be the main focus. They need guys who can pitch late in games and in high-leverage spots. What they need won\u2019t be sexy, but they can add meaningful help without mortgaging the future. <\/p>\n Do you expect them to acquire an outfielder and trade Keller? \u2013 Ca Ferrera<\/p>\n I do expect them to aggressively pursue a right-handed bat, and having it be an outfielder does make sense. The three options I previously mentioned (Adell, Thomas, Taylor) all make plenty of sense, and there are other options as well. <\/p>\n As for Keller, I do not expect him to be traded. His value is currently at an all-time low with a lackluster performance this season and a nearly $17 million salary, plus raises the next two seasons. And while Keller hasn\u2019t been as good this year, the Pirates need a veteran presence in a rotation that consists of a player who has already eclipsed last year\u2019s innings (Braxton Ashcraft), another coming off elbow surgery (Jared Jones) and a rookie (Bubba Chandler). <\/p>\n Who are the relievers we realistically can add? Fan of adding Weaver & Zeferjahn plus rental or two \u2013 Michael Hockenberger<\/p>\n Since I already mentioned a few possibilities with a previous question, let\u2019s dig deeper into Luke Weaver and Ryan Zeferjahn.<\/p>\n Ben Cherington should be calling about both players. Luke Weaver has been lights out this season and would close for this team. He signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the Mets in the offseason, so it would be a pretty significant salary added to next year\u2019s payroll. But the Pirates have some money coming off the books, and Weaver would be a tremendous add. <\/p>\n Zeferjahn is another really good fit and checks a lot of boxes. He\u2019s been good this year, strikes out a ton of batters, has a few saves, can get left-handed batters out and is affordable for the next few years. <\/p>\n Why does BC wait to the last minute to pull the trigger? We sure could have used some help the past 6 critical Games and the next 4 coming up \u2013 Jimmy Beach<\/p>\n To be fair, he has already made a couple deals that have impacted the big-league team, but I get what you\u2019re saying. There are a couple reasons why.<\/p>\n For starters, it takes two to tango. The other team has to be willing to pull the trigger on any deal, and trades are complicated. There hasn\u2019t been a whole lot of movement so far around the league.<\/p>\n Sometimes, teams wait as long as possible to get or give up exactly what they want. Cherington should be showing urgency, and I have no doubt he\u2019ll swing some trades by Monday\u2019s deadline. But he\u2019s not going to overpay on something he\u2019ll end up regretting.<\/p>\n When are they going to trade Brandon Lowe. \u2013 Roger Richards<\/p>\n They won\u2019t. The Pirates won\u2019t be sellers. Even if they have a tough series in Cincinnati, they\u2019ll be looking to buy. Have they underperformed? They have since the All-Star break. But they\u2019re still in the thick of the National League wild card race and a couple additions could go a long way.<\/p>\n They also have a general manager fighting for his job, and selling off big-league pieces at the deadline once again would likely seal his fate. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a> <\/p>\n