The Blue Jays are one of the teams showing trade interest in Pirates right-hander Richard Rodriguez, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link). Toronto has already made one early move to upgrade its struggling bullpen, as righty Adam Cimber was acquired yesterday part of a four-player deal with the Marlins.
As MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently illustrated, Rodriguez figures to be one of the most sought-after players of this deadline season. The 31-year-old closer is not only inexpensive ($1.7MM salary for 2021) and controllable (through the 2023 season), but he also posted some of the best numbers of any reliever in baseball. Rodriguez has a 1.78 ERA/3.55 SIERA through 30 1/3 innings, with that higher SIERA reflective of such factors as a .215 BABIP and a 24.5% strikeout rate that is barely above average.
However, Rodriguez also has some elite control — he has issued only three walks, the fewest of any pitcher in the league with at least 30 innings pitched. The lack of strikeouts, as Steve notes, is more due to a change in pitch selection rather than any sudden inability to miss bats, as Rodriguez has increased focus on generating weak contact in the form of infield pop-ups. Rodriguez’s success in 2021 also isn’t coming out of nowhere, as he is now in his fourth season of delivering quality results out of the Pittsburgh bullpen.
The right-hander would solidify any relief corps, but he would be an especially major upgrade to a Toronto bullpen that has struggled badly in recent weeks. A rather stunning number of reliever injuries has thinned the Jays’ depth, and while a few of those arms will return, there isn’t much time to spare considering how many blown leads have already cost the Blue Jays several crucial victories in a very competitive AL East.
The acquisition of Cimber over a month before the trade deadline indicates that the Toronto front office is already being aggressive in exploring options, even if league-wide trade activity isn’t expected to really kick into gear until after the July 11-13 amateur draft is completed. The Pirates could be a particular team to monitor in this regard, considering the Bucs face the especially big decision of who to select with the first overall pick.
The Blue Jays have enough minor league depth to get the Pirates’ attention in what should be a very competitive market for Rodriguez, and Pittsburgh is certainly justified in demanding a big return. Pirates GM Ben Cherington worked in the Jays front office before being hired in his current role in November 2019, though while this connection has often linked the Jays and Pirates together as natural trade partners, the two clubs have yet to actually swing a deal during Cherington’s tenure.
Yeah, them and everyone else.
I’m interested in a pony
I want a pony too!
I hate anyone who had a pony
Who leaves a country packed with ponies to come to a non-pony country? It doesn’t make sense! Am I wrong?”
Awesome!
Yes. Completely.
Buffalo and Pittsburgh are in the same Country.
I want a cannon.
It’s true. One selling point for the Shamrocks will be that new players won’t be forced to go to Canada, and can play instead in minor league parks in front of the other teams’ fans, Just like the Harlem Globetrotters. LOL!!!
In old country everyone had pony! I had pony, my sister had pony!
In Soviet Russia pony rides you!
Ponies are overrated.
Well, you’ve obviously never played Polo.
I played with Marco once.
Reading the MLB homepage this AM I somehow get the feeling that right after they get the baseballs cleared off the field the Yankees will be punching the speed dial too.
27 blown saves, beaches…
Man.
Ya know, right after he gave up that slam I tried to think of another baseball team to root for. Turns out, I hate everyone else just a little too much.
I’m too far gone, fellas.
mlbtraderumors.com gets fully erect every time they close the comments
MLB HAS BECOME A SAFE HAVEN FOR NERD TROLLS. YOU MULTIPLY LIKE RABBITS
LFG. I feel like Cherington would probably target some high upside teens for him like he did with Marte. He’ll be very familiar with the system, they match up pretty good in a trade.
Rich-Rod was definitley using some sticky stuff. He’s seen a massive decrease in spin to both his fastball and slider. But I still think sticky stuff or not, he’s still an effective reliever. The thing is, he isn’t getting many swings and misses this year which has brought down his underlying numbers, which surely is hurting his stock. Still, can’t ignore 31.1 straight scoreless innings starting in late 2020 and ending in May 2021.
He has multiple years of control left, and a decent track record which surely helps. I just wonder how much other teams value him. Could be a situation where a team goes all in on relief pitching and ends up overpaying some. Could happen here. His price could get driven up a noteable amount if there’s a bidding war for him, which I can see happening. Every team looking to make a playoff push is going to at least check in on him.
U admitted he’s a cheater. How can u possibly give credit to any other tangible past that ? It’s more likely he’s been cheating for years vs months.
Based on what u said. His stock has never been lower Bc if you know it – so does every GM
I think this sums up a high percentage of mlb pitchers right now. The league still needs pitchers.
Because if I get mad at every pitcher who cheated by using a foreign substance, I couldn’t watch baseball. Maybe he has cheated for years, but teams don’t really care as long as he’s still effective (see George Springer still getting paid), which he seems to be. Has held opponents to just 2 ER and a .591 OPS against since the begining of June.
“Rich-Rod” is overused as a nickname.
I used to call Richard Rodriguez “The Serial Killer”…because I was confused about Richard Ramirez’s last name, evidently…but still, good nickname for a closer.
I’ve literally never heard of anyone else referred to as Rich-Rod.
College football coach Rich Rodriguez
Maybe Dick Rod?
He’d be known as “Rich-Ram” then…because his last name is Ramirez, not Rodriguez. When you have nicknames, you sometimes use parts of their first and last names. You were trying to use his first name and the last name of someone else, and that’s just silly.
Anything else?
Disagree with the cheating comment. But i’m just an idiot who actually watches the games
Any bad contracts the jays can take to get the prospect capital down ?
No we got zero money on the books next year. Cause we aren’t paying pedo to close in jail or polanco. I am hopping they buy prospects and help teams stay under tax
Polanco.
No he is off the books next year just pay his 3 million buyout
Exactly. The buyout. Pirates save $3-mil plus what’s left of this year. Yes, $3-mil is a lot for the Pirates.
decent prospects are worth more than the ~8m Gregory is owed. At least Gregory is doing better this year than last
Bobby Bonilla?
Happy Bobby Bonnila Day!
Today, July1, a day that will live in hilarity, is Bobby Bonilla Day!
Wrong team. Mets pay Bobby bo not the bucs. Also I think there’s only one or two more years left on that deal
Till 2035 is what I heard.
You’re right. For some reason I was thinking it was mid 2020’s not mid 2030’s. He’s gonna be getting checks from the Mets until he’s 72 years old.
The prospect capital is all that matters, we already have such a low payroll (only going to get lower with Polanco off the books after this year). The required return may hurt a little but thats what it will probably take for Rodriguez.
You need to go after the big dog of bad contracts…….David Price. $45 mill+ for a mop up reliever for the next year and a half. You take that contract and you might get one of the Dodger catchers.
Hahahaha off-season 2.0 blue jays will be connected to every pitcher/3rd baseman in baseball that’s available. With so many position players having career years and Springer back and Simeon having a near MVP season they have to go for it now while the roster is relatively cheap
Lol even as a jays fan tmi think thats a stretch
What position players are having a career year? Semien is same as ’19, Bichette is same as ever, Biggio is a little below his norm, Grichuk is now having the 2nd worst year of his career by OPS, Gurriel is having his worst year ever, Teo is way behind last year’s pace and right near his career average, Springer obviously isn’t at his best. Guerrero is having a career year so far, but doing exactly what people expect him to keep doing another decade. I wanted to say McGuire is having a career year, but his 2019 was actually a lot better when you look at it.
So who’s having a career year? Santiago Espinal — but only marginally.
The pitching is where the Jays have over-performed, as a mediocre as it is. Definite career years for guys like Joel Payamps.
Lol k…
Man, I forgot how much I missed those stories every day during the offseason about the Blue Jays being interested in free agents. This article really brings back the memories.
Gotta get those padded Jays offers that have to adjust for increased taxes on millionaires in Canada, a key leverage point for agents. Being a member of their front office sounds exhausting.
case- this myth has been debunked countless times. For the tax bracket these guys are in, taxes are almost the same in many states as in Canada. Ontario and New York are only about 4% different
Yah there is a few states that are close like NY and CA, when you factor buying power of the Exchange rate it’s pretty much the same
Flat tax rates hardly reflect the loopholes and write offs in each system, I doubt any of them are paying that exact percentage.
Even if that were the case, 4% of Springer’s contract is still 6 million dollars, something of interest to agents trying to maximize contract offers for their clients?
The agent’s fee is a percentage of the contract before taxes, so I suspect the agent would much rather have the player ignore taxes and sign for the higher nominal value..
What package does he bring back to Pittsburgh, a high upside A player, & a high floor AAA prospect? A guy in the org top 10 and a guy in the 20-40 range?
Probably a guy around 45-45+ FV and another in the 40-40+ FV range.
Whoa, don’t use actual objective values when assessing prospects. Use completely arbitrary things like his ranking in a system, or what level his is at, or his show size like the rest of the commenters so you don’t confuse them
Yeah scout scores are objective but level of competition is arbitrary.
Thanks for the response.
If my dodgers are involved, I feel like the pirates might ask for better prospects.
MLB has the dodgers top 10 all over 45 FV.
I’d love to see two prospects in the 40-45 range bring back a couple year of a good reliever.
Fingers crossed Friedman gets it done.
I’m looking more at FanGraphs FV’s rather than MLB Pipeline’s.
A Dodgers fan willing to pay up prospects for a RP, but scoffed at the top RP of the game 3 years ago before everyone knowing he was a sexual predator? Well I’ll be damned.
Estiven Machado (2025 estimate) #12 on Jays top 30 and Reilly Adam’s #18 while currently playing for jays but does look overmatched in limited sample size and a lottery ticket?
I think Ben Cherington would want Tellez or Jansen plus a prospect or 2. He get Mlb talent he knows then pkus a guy he likes in the system he knows
Think those guys don’t have the value he’d want. Would have to be a prospect thrown in there too not a top 30 but a low a young kid
He can have both tellez AND jansen! Lol
Tellez and Jansen? If Cherington is really that into 26 year old ex-prospects who can’t hit the ball, this should be an easy deal to swing.
No, not even close. He’d be more likely to take a 18-19-20 year old like Manual Beltre than taking Jansen or Tellez. And seeing as Tellez just got traded today for an average, long relief, RP, his value isn’t near what Jays fans thought it was.
The only player on the Jays current roster I could see the Pirates being interest in is R.McGuire or Kirk. And I highly doubt they trade Kirk. I could see R.McGuire and a young Pitching prospect though. IMO, McGuire and Stallings wouldn’t be a bad Catching platoon.
I would rather G.Moreno though. I wonder if the Jays would consider trading him seeing as Kirk is probably blocking his MLB path. RichRod is cost controlled for the next 2 seasons after this this season too so his contract has value too.
He might be worth a top 100 prospect in MLB. A back-end RP with 2 more years on a cheap contract. I guess we’ll see.
Jansen and Tellez is just crazy though. RichRod and Frazier are the Pirates two best trade chips. They will get prospects back for both.
I think that’s in the ballpark for sure. I’d probably want Dasan Brown instead of Machado if I’m Ben Cherington but that’s a solid framework for sure.
It can be anything. My guess 2 or 3 teens with upside with another guy. Teams would rather part with quantity and BC is fine with that. Doesn’t have to include a top 10, wouldn’t surprise me if its 3 or 4 10 to 40 guys.
Maybe. Our “window” looks to open starting in 2023 with where our current higher-level prospects are at. So I’d assume he’s want lower level guys that can start their majors clock in 2024 or so. No sense in bringing in near major league ready guys to burn years while we are still losing.
Two prospects in A ball should get the deal done – one with a high ceiling, the other with a high floor.
I have a gut feeling that Cherington is gonna try to get players in the upper minors as headliners with his deadline deals and some lottery ticket teenagers as secondary pieces. He’s already done a solid job of building up the lower levels with lots of prospects in both A ball teams. This is just my speculation but I’m guessing he’s gonna try to bridge the gap in the upper minors a bit now.
I think you’re right.
There’s benefits to spreading out the level of prospects received.
1-2 in the upper minors + 1-2 in the lower minors makes it easier to protect players on the 40 man
Good fit for Blue Jays.
I always say the window closes sooner than you think. Jays should be getting as much controllable cheap talent as they can. May not put them over the hump this season, but it just adds talent. Wish the Os would’ve traded bundy and or gausman in 2012-2014 era for a true ace. Look how quick that window closed.
I hear at the moment Cherington is asking for near-ready high end talent for Richard Rodriguez.
If he is smart, Cherington will ask for SWR or Manoah, get automatically refused by the Jays and then settle for CJ Van Eyk and a throw in-if he wants to do business with the Jays..
GMs are always going to aim high this far out from the deadline. I expect Rodriguez gets dealt closer to the 30th and the price comes down a bit. I still expect Cherrington to do well with Rodriguez and Frazier at the deadline.
More competition at the deadline so the package will be quite good for this guy. The only way Toronto gets him now is with a sizable overpay. Cherington holds all the cards in this negotiation.
And your source is who…
You didn’t hear from anyone intelligent who knows anything about baseball. Why would he ask for near ready talent when all his talent is in single and double A? If his team was near ready for contention he wouldn’t be willing to trade everyone on his roster. And these guys are professionals. They don’t propose fantasy land trades. Manoah is a key starter for them for the next 6 years. They aren’t trading him for a reliever. That would make the team worse. Its not some low money fantasy league. You don’t waste time with ridiculous offers.
I get that point about not wanting to go for talent near the majors when you’re not in a position to contend but the counterpoint is they need some talent to help out soon before Reynolds and Hayes approach free agency if you have any expectations of getting them to agree to an extension. There isn’t much help in AA and AAA but there’s still a couple guys with potential to be solid contributors like Swaggerty when he recovers from his shoulder injury, Oneil Cruz, Rodolfo Castro and Roansy Contreras. If they can add more to that group it would be more beneficial to the long term pipeline than stocking up on more A ball players in my opinion. Plus you gotta realize that young players need reps to develop their skills and if you have too many guys at the same level it’s more difficult to develop any of them because they wouldn’t all be able to play everyday.
Contreras looks legit. Other than that there isn’t anybody to build around near mlb ready. Cruz has a solid shot. Castro a possibility. Swaggerty looking iffy. Plenty of room in lower levels. A lot of AA guys will be going to AAA or MLB. A ball guys are doing fantastic and will move to AA. You get more talent by taking low level guys, BC just wants talent. Reynolds is more likely to be traded in the next 6 months then extended. I don’t expect the pirates to extend anyone. They tried with Bell Musgrove Hayes already. 2 didn’t except their I am sure team friendly offer ao were traded. I expect the same with hayes Reynolds. Year or 2 before free agency gone. Or take comp pick if it is still a thing. They won’t be free agents until they are 30 so pirates get their best years.
That actually sounds pretty fair to me.
Jays top 7 prospects probably aren’t going anywhere. 8 if you count Kirk as a prospect still… but Kloffenstein and Van Eyk definitely could.
Cherington has grabbed low level kids often in trades since taking over in Pittsburgh and knows the Jays system well. Don’t rule out a quantity trade here too. Riley Adams and 3 or 4 Yosver Zulueta types that most outside of Toronto haven’t heard of.
Adams, Hiraldo and Kloffenstein/Van Eyk. For an 8th inning guy that’s around the going rate. Doubt the Pirates want Tellez.
I heard yesterday that, at the moment, Cherington is asking for 3 bodies for Rodriguez..
That’s too much.
Hiraldo or Kloffenstein? Maybe. Van Eyk. Sure. But not two of them.
And Adams is a no brainer trade chip for the Jays.
Maybe Hiraldo/Van Eyk, Adams and a lottery ticket guy outside or at the bottom of their top 30?
The slash between Kloffenstein and Van Eyk meant it would be either one or the other with Adams and Hiraldo. Not sure how that was confusing.
It’s not confusing. Just think it’s too much to include Hiraldo AND one of those pitchers. Two top 10 prospects in a great system for a reliever is a lot to trade.
Not sure how my comment was confusing.
Pirates could trade for guys 2+ years away and it wouldn’t affect the pace of this rebuild.
They have as little talent at the MLB level and AAA as any team in MLB right now. Maybe competitive towards the later part of 2023 at the earliest when some of their more talented young prospects start to matriculate.
In the interim, the Pirates can continue to wrack up large amount of losses and Nutting can use the annual profits to prop up his other less successful ventures.
Yes. Pirates have zero interest in mlb or AAA players. I don’t follow AAA close but I can’t imagine another team as weak of talent there. Mlb wise I would put a handful or two teams worse off than the pirates. They have all star talent at 3 positions. Rest of them are average players. Solid bullpen. What keeps them in the running for a top 3 pick is they played first 2 months without a outfielder. Didn’t spend on free agents so have no bench. Any injury and the lineup is finished. No power. A rotation full of back end starters. If they would have spent 10 million more in free agency they could have 35 wins now. Pointless to be mediocre so they didn’t.
They are a long way of contending and really need almost all of their high-end pitching prospects to pan out because they won’t ever pay huge dollars for a FA starter.
Pitching doesn’t worry me. They have a ton of it already. A few guys are bound to succeed. Power hitting is a concern. But they have 2 trade deadlines and 3 drafts picking high to booster whatever they want. I think 2024 is a realistic year. I don’t see 2022 being good.
Dream-My guess is that Cherington sensed how bad the AAA team would be.They are pretty bad.That tells me that NH was not getting A and AA talented players into the pipeline.That is really what cost him his job.
I think that Anderson and for a few games Cahill were good pickups.
I hope that you are well.
@Pirates 4 through 9 hitter line, i mean Mendoza. Doing well enough. My favorite part of the pirates season is near, the trade deadline. NH had a thin farm but not bare, just unable to develop that talent. A lot of NH players have improved under BC. Anderson and Cahill were fantastic. No other team wanted them. Dirt cheap. Anderson has been legit starter. Cahill is a worthy 6th starter long man when healthy. How about Gamel? Good pick up. He looks bad at first glance but has played decent defense and hits rhp at league average. Not him or Polancos fault BC didnt find anyone to hit lhp. If BC would have signed someone to platoon with Moran and a legit outfielder this team might be pushing 40 wins.
Good point about RH hitter.
I do not mind the losses this year if they are developing players.Gamel terrible at first,but has started to hit decently.
I do not know that Oliva will be any better than Jason Martin.
Holmes is returning to his ugly pitching.
I hope that Keller figures it out.I agreed with sending him down.
Some of your young minor league guys are doing well,some OK,others not as good as expected.
I think that they need to show clear cut improvement next year and I think that it will be tough without Frazier and Rodriguez.
I don’t expect much out of Oliva. Swaggerty has a better chance and Cruz even better. I don’t expect 2022 to be much better but will see more prospects get on job training.
Lf Reynolds
Cf Swaggerty
Rf oliva cruz
3b hayes
Ss newman cruz
2b castro
1b Moran
C Stallings
Contreras Brubaker Yajure Crowe Keller Kranick
Brault Kuhl if not traded
Ponce de Leon as quad a depth long guy
When Gonzales Peguero and the Altoona outfield arrive things get rolling.
it doesn’t make any sense that Rodriguez wasn’t given a shot (other than 5 games) during the 2 seasons he spent with the Orioles. Baltimore needed all the pitching help they could get back then (and still) and this guy was consistently dominant in AAA. It seriously just doesn’t make sense why the Orioles never gave him a shot and then immediately upon being given an opportunity he seized on it and replicated his AAA success at the ML level virtually immediately. Idk… this one just really baffles me. it’s not like he was on the Yankees AAA squad trying to crack a loaded bullpen… it was Baltimore.
I feel for Orioles fans, putting up with that owner.
For the Blue Jays to get Richard Rodriguez in the next 5-10 days, it’s going to require a sizable overpay. Cherington is a seasoned front office veteran and knows that the closer you get to the trade deadline, the better the offers become. So if Toronto wants this guy now, they are going to have to a pay a very hefty price to get him. We’re talking two Top 25 prospects, one of whom would be in the Top 10 of the Toronto farm system.
Jays farm is stacked at the top. They’ve got 8 guys that show on various top 100 lists. I can’t see them digging into that for a reliever. Even one as good as Rodriguez.
And you’re right. Closer to the deadline Pittsburgh will have to take the best offer instead of aiming high and being patient. You likely won’t see Rodriguez move until deadline day.
Not necessarily going to be a ton cheaper in terms of trade compensation on deadline day…he’s controllable for 2 more seasons
I think Pitt will do very well (in terms of prospects) regardless of when they decide to trade him. The only thing that might entice them to trade him early is that he’s fully healthy right now. If he were to go on the IL between now and the trade deadline, that will reduce the compensation package significantly.
Jays could consider moving Pearson too. Lots of upside with him… but inconsistency and injuries are making it less likely that he reaches his potential. Maybe the Jays cash in on his value now?
Not for Rodriguez…. But Scherzer is asking for an extension to waive his no trade rights. Do you move Pearson in a Scherzer deal if he signs a reasonable 2 or 3 year extension?
I doubt Toronto would be willing to part with Pearson unless they get a solid #2 or #3 SP back in return for him who also has at least 2 years of control left, if not more. Pearson & another prospect for German Marquez could make some sense if Toronto is looking to win now.
Maybe we can get back McGuire and get rid of Perez who can’t hit. McGuire is only 26 and both Perez and Stallings are older.
Cherington will not want McGuire. He has scuffled since he got traded to the Jays. He could not beat out journeyman catchers for a roster spot. Only there now due to injuries. MqGuire was scuffling this season too until he feasted on the Orioles pitching for a couple of week. Will most likely drop back again when he faces the rest of the league again.
Torontos AA catcher and one of the 18 year old lotto tix would work.
Pass
That AA Catcher is now ranked #39 on BAs top 100 list and destroying AA pitching.
He’s not going anywhere.
The Jays could also use a veteran 3B who bats lefty. I wonder if there is any chance of a Rodriguez + Frazier deal, and asking Adam to move to 3B for the remainder of 2021? The package coming back could start with Alejandro Kirk, a controllable (through 2026) young catcher currently ranked as the #59 prospect in baseball by Baseball America
Kirk would be the right idea in this scenario, though I think Moreno would make more sense for both teams, as that lines up better with each team’s expected window of contention.
As much as I love Frazier’s game I don’t think he has the arm to play third on a regular basis. As a fill in to give a guy a day off sure but not as an everyday player over there.
Meh.
Frazier has only started 6 games at 3b in his career and his career ops+ is lower than Biggio’s. He’s been great this year mind you… but see that as a pretty marginal upgrade. Not worth the extra salary or prospect cost of Kirk.
I’m wondering if Kirk will eventually eat his way out from being a career catcher. He’s really big right now and good long-term catchers tend to be a little more nimble than Kirk. It’s okay if they are tall, but Kirk is more of a 4 x 4 and may lose mobility as he ages.
Maybe. He is the shortest and heaviest player on the team according to MLBs roster listings. But he’s young too so should be able to handle the position for most of the 6 years the Jays have him.
Small sample for sure but an adequate defensive C with an .800 ops and well above average ops+ and WRC are hard to find. He may not keep up that pace…. but he’s hit at every level. Not something you trade easily.
It seems to me that Kirk is a good example of a young DH.
With that much weight he will start having knee or leg problems long before six years.
It would be a shame to waste such a good hitter to injuries that could be preventable.
Imagine the Pirates trade him before the All Star rosters get announced and then the NL Manager has to pick a different Pirate as an All Star
I mean, Frazier and Reynolds are both arguably even more deserving than Rodriguez
Elite bullpen arms tend to take precedence over solid positional players come trade deadline time. Solid starting pitchers are by far the #1 overall trade deadline prize and tend to get the most in return, unless you are talking about a true stud positional player like Trevor Story or Kris Bryant, even if they are only a rental.
If I’m Cherington I’m asking for SWR+ or Moreno+, and might even throw in another guy like Stratton or Crick to get it done.
Ask all you want but neither Moreno or SWR is being traded, especially for a reliever. If past trade deadlines have taught anything, it’s that teams value their premium young stars more than ever. If a trade is done, expect a currently rostered catcher, like Jansen or Adams, with 1 or 2 players ranked 20+ in the Jays’ farm system.
Yeah that’s it. The Jays top 7 or 8 prospects are likely not moving for anything but starters with multiple years of control.
The bottom of their top 10 is where they will start to be willing to deal.
If top 8 are not moving, then you may be down to neris types. You probably and more likely are not getting top closers. And yes he is, plus controllable and cheap
Elite relievers with several years of control, which Rodriguez is, are also in high demand. Throw in another useful arm like Stratton or Crick and the top 8 should definitely be in play.
I mean maybe… but I just can’t see it.
Jays traded 1.5 years of Stroman in 2019 and didn’t get a top 100 prospect for him at the time. A similar package would probably be Toronto’s 9 and 10 ranked prospects.
Rodriguez has an extra year of control but is older and a reliever. I don’t think that’s as valuable as Stroman was.
Plus I think the Pirates are still looking for quantity. At the start of a long rebuild they’re likely looking for lower level guys with higher upside. Kloffenstein, Riley Adams and a couple young pitchers in the 20-30 range with electric fastballs.
The Blue Jays got a pretty good Reliever in Adam Cimber along with the left handed bat (Corey Dickerson) they were looking for and all it cost them was Joe Panik and cash. I don’t see Toronto moving any big prospects for anything less than a Max Scherzer/Jose Berrios type of Pitcher
Both on expiring contracts and neither that outstanding. Rodriguez is controlled thru 2023 and is fairly inexpensive. Has been one of the best relief pitchers for 2 years now. He won’t cost a really big prospect but might cost a couple of prospects that are young but still very talented.
Not really comparable, Rodriguez has much more value as a backend guy than Cimber, and Dickerson has basically negligible value given he’s hurt.
Can we just have a single “Blue Jays are interested in everyone” page?
No, the Jays are interested in having many stories on MLBTR. You think they want to put all their interest in one basket? Not a chance.
Ideal for the pirates, Gabriel Moreno almost straight up.. not going to happen especially given the ‘sticky situation’ around the league
He is still a good pitcher and lots of control so still some good value there.
more reasonable targets
C: Riley Adams who has an outside shot of being an everyday catcher
P: T.J. Zeuch Probably a role player on the Jays, for the pirates next season a back end pitcher
OF: Will Robinson – a power hitting left handed bat which should play well in PNC
P Nick Allgeyer – another possible back end starter
Ben knows their system better than most of us but just from what i see, Adams, Robinson and Allgeyer would sell me pretty quickly. But i’d strongly consider two of those four depending on other offers floating around.
Those guys you listed would be guys Huntington would target, guys closer to the bigs with low upside. Hard pass. Cherington has been (and should continue to) target younger guys with higher upsides.
I think Moreno could be had if they throw in another arm like Stratton or Crick, would really give the blue jays solid BP depth for even beyond this year.
My thoughts exactly. Double A can be a long way from the Majors but Moreno checks a lot of boxes
the guys I listed are realistic targets.
I cannot imagine Moreno going any where. He’s their catcher of the future
Unless you are trading elite bullpen arms you are not getting 55 value type player
I can see them possibly pulling off Eric Pardinho type who has decent upside but might they might end up with a logjam at pitcher.
However… the Jays could also use an everyday catcher right now bundle in Jacob and then we could be talking about some high quality talent.
Stallings is not going anywhere.
He is much too important to the young pitching staff,and his average is not such that he would command a haul.
The Pirates are absolutely devoid of catching and should consider signeing a backup catcher of note for next year to try to start to improve their record.
Losing is contagious,and nothing but losing is terrible for morale.That is the problem with planning for too far into the future when their contention year keeps on being pushed back.
where have you been the past 25 years? lol 😉
If the pirates pick up a quality young catcher or draft a high quality one (davis) I can see them shopping Stallings but only taking a better than fair deal.
Regardless we agree, they need all the catching they can grab.
Joew-not sure who you replied to,but if it was me,you may not recall the 2013-2015 period..Perhaps you were not here then.And the other recent years they were at least mediocre,and not terrible.This period is fine as long as it results in a contending team,which was supposed to be almost possible next year with 2023 as the target year.Now some posters say 2024.It is great to have hope but many of these minor leaguers,unless blue chip,which nobody trades,will not work out,and the losing will continue.And maybe keep continuing.
They need to show real improvement next year.That is why they need to sign some low to medium free agents to round out the ML roster.They have enough very young players that they will not need to put them on the 40 man roster soon.
yeah it was you… you and I recall things much differently.. sure a couple years of not being bad a ‘few’ years back but since the mid 90’s the pirates have beet at or near last in the division most of the time… wouldn’t call that mediocre .there where some flashes though
IMO if these hot shot prospects are healthy enough to get September callups I think they’ll be out of the cellar in 2022.
2013-2015 they had the second best record in baseball.Baseball was alive and well in Pittsburgh.
Even in 2011 and 2012 they were getting better.
2016 and 2017 they were mediocre.2018 they had a fairly good year.
Even in 2019 they were respectable the first half of the year.
You are right.we recall things differently.
2022 they need to improve to close to .500 for this rebuild to begin to amount to anything.Otherwise it is just spinning their wheels.
And if you think replacing Stallings with a 2021 draft choice will enable them to trade him now for anyone but a young Johnny Bench you really are lol.
I would call them a playoff contender from 2013 to 2017 so 5 years is a nice chunk. 2012 they were a budding team. 2018 wasn’t planned but they were a dark horse playoff team. 2019 they finished worse than they should. They have a gm who knows what to do. They should be decent in 2023. Maybe playoff team 2024 and most of the following 10 years.
how many times where they above 3rd in the division between 93 and 2012.? since 2015 they have been 10+ games back. You can say they where around .500 but if you can’t keep pace in your division or even the wildcard race.
as i said they had flashes where they looked like they where ready to go but totally fizzled out
Davis is a premium talent and could be up in ’23 if things go well. It depends on the time line. Of course Jacob will need to turn his offence around to get better value. If anything the off season is where this will be looking.
Will include at least 2 of these and a throw in. Machado Beltre Brown Castro Frasso Palmer Robberse Robertson Zueleuta.
You’re right. Moreno is not going anywhere.
He is turning himself into one of the top C prospects in the game after Rutschman and Bart.
I think the Pirates could get someone like Van Eyk and Adams for Rodriguez.
I’d take that deal as a Jays fan.
Jays will run into trouble getting everyone through the rule 5 the next couple years so packaging some lower level prospects for Rodriguez would make sense. And Jays are stacked at Catcher so Adams is 5th on their org chart and not likely to be part of their future.
I think that Cherington will be under some pressure to get good hauls for Rodriguez and Frazier.Their season has been a disaster after going 12 and 11 to start the season.This year’s team will only get much worse without them.I think that a third awful season like the last two and the next half could kill baseball in Pittsburgh.
That means he needs to get a couple of near ready good young players and fill in the rest with these numerous 19 year old flyers that some posters are enamored with.You need four or five of those guys for one to become a decent big leaguer.He has plenty now and will get plenty more in the next two drafts.
His trade for Taillon was good,and the return for a fine pitcher in Musgrave was decent.The young bullpen and Reynolds and Hayes will need to feel like they are on a decent team next year.
He is just whistling in the dark if he thinks only getting A players are the way to go.
Tyler Chatwood < Joel Payamps
Tyler Chatwood = released