Pirates general manager Ben Cherington spoke with reporters Monday as the team gears up for the offseason. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights…
- Although the Pirates declined right-hander Chris Archer’s $11MM option over the weekend, his time with the franchise may not be up. Cherington said the Pirates are open to re-signing Archer at a lower cost, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette tweets. “Our relationship with Chris is in a good enough spot where we can keep that door cracked,” Cherington stated. “Certainly, he’ll want to listen and see what’s out there.” Archer had a well-documented disastrous run in Pittsburgh, which paid a fortune for him in a 2018 trade with Tampa Bay. He didn’t pitch at all this season after undergoing thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in June, though the 32-year-old could be an intriguing buy-low candidate.
- The Pirates may have also moved on from righty Dovydas Neverauskas this past weekend when they designated him for assignment. The soon-to-be 28-year-old’s next destination could be overseas, according to Cherington, who revealed that there’s mutual interest between Neverauskas and “a team in Asia” (via Mackey). Neverauskas began with the Pirates organization in 2010, made his big league debut in 2017 and went on to log a 6.81 ERA/5.94 FIP with 8.59 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 80 2/3 innings with the club.
- Infield prospect Oneil Cruz was arraigned in his native Dominican Republic in September as a result of a car crash that took the lives of three people. Cherington was unable to provide an update on Cruz’s legal situation, per Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic. For now, the 22-year-old is slated to play Dominican winter ball for Gigantes del Cibao, the team announced.
really? a top level professional team “wants” Dovydas? maybe an independent team over there.
CPBL maybe?
He has really good stuff and has posted some solid numbers in the minors (after he converted to RP full-time) so yeah… I’d imagine plenty of “top-level professional” teams in Japan/Korea would be interested in him.
Yeah, there are people who scout the player, not scout baseball-reference.com
I think ICE is deporting him after no one would renew his work visa.
Source?
just a joke
Cherington said at the end of September he fully expects Oneil Cruz to be with the team in Spring Training. There was an abundance of evidence to prove that the crash was nothing more than a really tragic accident.
I predict Archer works out a deal with the Cubs.
Neverauskas looks like a guy that could really excel in Japan/Korea (whichever he winds up going to) and he could potentially go the route of several other ML ‘Journeymen’ who head to Japan/Korea, figure some things out over there and then return stateside for a ‘second chance’ — he’s got all the tools to be a very effective reliever but just hasn’t put it all together yet. And I think going overseas could really help him and give him the opportunity to establish himself and get a more stable routine that he might not otherwise find in the US. He’ll be someone who’ll be interesting to watch to see what he can do should he sign with an Asian league team, then see if he does ever work his way back stateside in a year or two.
As long as Dovydas doesn’t go to the Rays, then we’re good.
Archer will resign with Tampa Bay, have a good half year, and be traded back to the Bucs for Kumar Rocker.
Haha!
Don’t be silly. It would clearly be for Hayes.
You’re right; how stupid of me. TB would have to get Keller too though.
Don’t be silly. It would clearly be for Hayes.
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Of course. But then they will trade for Rocker in 2022 when Pitt starts off 17-23 and thinks they are a contender.
Come on, we all know Pitt won’t select Rocker with the first pick, they’ll select Leiter and say that Kumar was too volatile. Then comes the Rangers with the number two pick…
Don’t forget Bryan Reynolds at the PTBNL
No but they will trade Kumar Rocker after 5 years with the team. Pirates are in an endless cycle of being the rest of baseballs farm team. That won’t change until there is new ownership.
Too much Nutting going on in their ownership…
I hope they move on from Archer just to end that saga; I can’t speak for Pirates’ fans, but I just wouldn’t want to see his face anymore knowing the backstory of how he got there. Plus I think it’d be better for his career too.
As for Cruz, of course he was drinking when it happened (or so they say, some places are saying that’s fake, but let’s assume it’s true), and he was out past their curfew. The motorcycle was carrying three people, had no lights, and was also out past curfew. I’m not going to say they were drinking too because nothing has came out on that front, but one can assume that via the circumstances. They both seem at fault, but during this entire process I have always leaning more towards the “pro-Cruz” side though there should be no “sides” until this is taken in-front of a court of law. It occurred in the D.R, so of course they go about things differently, but hopefully they come to a fair conclusion nonetheless.
yeah. hard to really fault the trio but they were engaging in some wildly reckless behavior themselves. no excuse for Cruz, but just the motorcycle having its lights on changes things here.
The Neverauskas Story.
The odds of coming back from TOS is very low, and I see few teams willing to pay for those odds in this current off season. Archer just might sign back with Pittsburgh.
Want a contract? Neverauskous again!
How does Cherington still have a job. He got so little for Cole and gave up so much for Archer.