The Pirates and Angels are in talks on a commerce that will ship outfielder Taylor Ward from Anaheim to Pittsburgh, stories Paul Zeise of the Pittsburgh Submit-Gazette and 93.7 FM The Fan. Whereas a deal isn’t but full, Zeise provides that Pittsburgh is actively making an attempt to get the deal throughout the end line.
Including to the outfield is a wise pursuit for a Pirates membership that’s within the NL Wild Card hunt however has obtained poor manufacturing from its outfield. Whereas Bryan Reynolds is having considered one of his greatest seasons (.280/.344/.486, 17 homers, 131 wRC+), the remainder of the group has been missing. Even with that standout manufacturing from Reynolds, the outfield has mixed for a .225/.297/.357 batting line general. The ensuing 84 wRC+ signifies that Pittsburgh outfielders have been 16% worse than common on the plate. Every of Jack Suwinski (.187/.269/.349), Michael A. Taylor (.202/.259/.274) and Edward Olivares (.216/.285/.324) have struggled mightily within the outfield. Connor Joe has roughly league-average numbers on the entire however hasn’t hit properly when tasked with patrolling the outfield (.205/.292/.270 on these days).
Ward, 30, would give the Bucs a gradual bat to plug right into a nook spot, with Reynolds manning the opposite. The 2024 marketing campaign hasn’t been Ward’s greatest, however he’s hitting .238/.321/.417 (107 wRC+) with 14 homers on the yr. And courting again to a 2021 breakout, the previous first-round decide carries a .259/.340/.441 slash with high quality defensive marks, significantly in left area. Ward’s below-average pace limits his vary, however he has a robust and correct arm that’s helped him to be a stable defensive contributor.
For a perennially cost-conscious membership like Pittsburgh, Ward makes further sense. He’s being paid an affordable $4.8MM in 2024 and is controllable for 2 further seasons past the present marketing campaign. He’ll earn a pair of raises in arbitration for 2025 and 2026, however his price ticket isn’t more likely to balloon to untenable ranges, even by the Pirates’ requirements. These further two seasons of management make him a very interesting goal for a membership that doesn’t have a top-ranked outfield prospect flattening the door for the time being however is teeming with younger pitching expertise that appears like the inspiration for a aggressive core.
The Angels are reportedly reluctant to commerce their gamers who’re managed past the present season, although it’s at all times doable that stance is at the least partially posturing. It’s additionally possible that the Pirates really feel Ward checks sufficient bins for them that they’re keen to make a suggestion the Angels don’t really feel they will go up, even when their basic choice is to solely deal from their inventory of rental gamers. That talks are ostensibly substantial even with three weeks to go till the deadline would counsel that Pittsburgh is at the least keen to debate the potential for parting with some compelling names.
