The Pirates have signed right-hander Isaac Mattson to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com and relayed by the player himself on his Instagram page. He has been assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis for now but will presumably receive an invite to big league spring training.
Mattson, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Bucs for the 2024 season as well. He was selected to the roster in September and was able to throw 5 1/3 innings over three appearances, allowing three earned runs. He also got into four games with the Orioles in 2021, giving him a 5.59 ERA in seven major league games at this point in his career. He was outrighted off the roster at the start of the offseason.
That’s obviously not much of a sample size to make conclusions from, but the Bucs just got an up-close look at Mattson in Triple-A for most of the 2024 season. He tossed 60 innings over 29 appearances at that level with a 3.15 ERA. His 12.9% walk rate there was on the high side but his 29.8% strikeout rate was quite strong. That’s generally been the case for him at the upper levels of the minors. He has thrown 138 1/3 minor league innings over the past four years with a 4.10 ERA, 27.9% strikeout rate and 14.5% walk rate.
There’s no harm in a minor league deal, so the Bucs will bring him back in a non-roster capacity. If he can take a step forward in terms of control, that would obviously improve his utility. If he earns his way back onto the roster, he is still has two option years and has very little service time, meaning he can potentially be cheaply retained in a depth role for quite some time.
Wow! Nice signing.
Finally, some urgency.
More like this signing to come, PuttPutt
Not just nice. A+
Not sure how your grading scale works but not sure anyone else would call this A+
A+ to F with A+ being best as can be and F worst. Same as most A+ to F grading scales. Someone else would agree if they decide to click on the article.
Gringo- What I think that that means is that it is a no loss situation,which a minor league deal basically is.
Thanks for expounding. I was looking for context, not a re-introduction to the alphabetical grading scale. Makes sense
You’re welcome young man.
Trade Henry Davis for Josh Naylor next
Na,Don’t give up on Henry yet!
Would be getting Naylor in a season where Pirates might already be able to make playoffs without him
You know what I call that?
A move that makes Pirates World Series contenders in 2025
Goku-You may be a knowledgeable one but only on past terms.
Some of us have been waiting 45 years for a WS win and it isn’t happening anytime soon.
Pirates answer to A’s Severino signing
I can’t believe I’m going to defend the Pirates here, but signing a pitcher should take a bit of a back seat, no? I mean, in terms of their other needs
I almost fell off my chair when a local columnist put some stock in a national pundit’s bomb that the Pirates might sign a big bat and surprise some people. Somehow, Christian Walker’s name was bandied about.
Nice Christmas wish right outta fantasy island
That’s why I like the idea of trading for Josh Naylor
Yes , it would only be for 1 year, but he’d only cost them 12 mil in arb, which is pretty do-able for the Pirates
If you had to pick between Naylor and Yandy Diaz, which would you choose? Diaz is $10 million on the final year of his contract. Naylor is younger and estimates are closer to $14M than $12, vs. Diaz’s price. Both are stop gaps, Diaz would be decidedly cheaper in a trade: like maybe the bottom end of the Top 30 vs. Naylor probably commanding something more toward the middle of that list, after the Guardians ask for one of our starters.
I’d be happy with either since my expectations are low to begin with (Santana/Bell reuinion)
But I really think that Naylor in the middle of the order makes them an instant favorite to win the division.
I think 2025 is the best effort they’ll get from Skenes so should go all-in (aka spend over 10M on an addition)
Obviously Yandy helps a ton if not just as much, but I just think, optically, getting a highly coveted piece like Naylor sends a message to the league that they’re not messing around
Goku-Pirate fans know that they will win no Division with Shelton as manager.
I think they came pretty close last year unexpectedly in a transition year
Weak division/ Skenes and Cruz prime. It’s possible.
Naylor would make them pretty darn good on paper
It’s sad that 12-15 mil is “wayyy too expensive” for Pirates, when other teams see a guy like Bellinger making 18 mil as a solid discount option compared to free agent demands.
We must have been watching different teams
I’m taking it that by “come close” you mean the wild card berth as they are not in the same conversation with the Brewers by any stretch. Yes, it’s a weak league overall and the idea of “ playoffs” is really watered down
Is this team close to competing with the likes of LA, SD, the Phillies? No way
Maybe my aim is a little higher but I feel little optimism with so many holes on this roster
Oh yes my mistake. I did mean almost made wildcard last season (before imploding). Division this year if they get Naylor.
The optimism for me comes from looking at that rotation which, if firing on all cylinders, can put them ahead of the Brewers… if the lineup can scratch through some runs.
Enter: adding Naylor next to Reynolds and Cruz for a legit heart of the order .. solves a lot
And when you say holes, I’m not seeing them besides at 1B .. there are some situations that are less than ideal , but overall they have a guy with some upside at every position, including the bench.
Biggest holes:
RF : Suwinski – only 25, debuted at 23 and cracked 20 HR in his first 2 seasons.
do not sleep on this guy. Pretty much a Joc Pederson clone. Lefty bat, Lotta power, good fielder, can run a little on the paths.
Had a really bad season..
guess what? So did everyone else under the batting coach
RF/C/DH Henry Davis – arguably the most mismanaged player in baseball.
The day they drafted this kid, I said he’ll make a good DH.
Which has been the issue with Cutch hogging the DH
So a guy who’s not confident in his fielding (Davis) has to worry about winging it in RF or handling the duties of major league catcher , which he’s not much capable of. Going to be hard for that guy to be feeling great at the plate.
What I’m saying is, given Davis’ elite athleticism and potential at the plate shown in the minors, if he could just settle into a primary DH spot he could reach his potential more readily.
Bullpen – biggest issue by a landslide…
And of course my opinion is that I’m not worried about it.
We saw them spend a ton on the pen last off-season and it ended in a thud.
On-paper Chapman/Bednar combo looked elite, but
A. Chapman kinda washed
B. More interestingly I think having a defacto backup closer in place , takes away a lot of motivation for guys hungry to get that closers role.
Would the Pirates have been better off signing Chapman for 10Mil? (like they did)
Or signing any 3 random relievers who signed in the 1.5 mil range?
Answer should be easy…
Infact one of those random relievers might be our obvious closer solution right now had there been an open competition for the closers role when Bednar got hurt
Bullpens are decided by who’s throwing missiles in spring.
The same guys vary drastically from year to year, and only a select few are able to stay competent in a middle relief role over a multi-year period
Other than your closer , bullpens are just throwing a bunch of dice on the board, of guys throwing over 94 with stuff and sometimes you get their best throwing year.
Hopefully that covers it
I like their starting rotation, too, and hope that with what appears to be a great deal of talent on hand, they make the right decisions
But starting pitchers go 5-6 innings at best
In the days of Koufax and Gibson, I’d share your optimism. Now, all I can believe is that it’s a nice start.
Too many holes and question marks here and your pointing out guys like Suwinski and Davis would be at the top. Throw in Hayes, Endy, IKF and hope that Nick and Bart didn’t have career years last season.
And nothing really coming up the pipeline in terms of immediate help
I agree but some of those guys aren’t that bad.
The players you named are at a defense priority position (SS, 3B, C)
And while I think Hayes could get back on track at the plate , the key would be adding to the middle of the order so they’re not so dependent on run production from those positions.
And I wouldn’t say they have nothing in the pipeline. Termarr and especially Yorke could make an impact. And got the pitcher Bubba who could add to an already impressive rotation (which makes me think they might trade him)
Hayes is a glove. That’s all he was and is. And how they determined that such an aloof player would be a “cornerstone” is anyone’s guess
The “pipeline” I speak of regards position players. You mention Yorke but I already pencil him in as being on the big club. The jury is still out on Termarr.
Have to think Bubba is an untouchable here but others like Ashcroft, Harrington or Solometo, perhaps not as much. This is really their lone depth area to trade from
People point to middle infielders but it’s been a comedy. None of these kids have panned out and Nick Gonzales is hopefully the one who has refined himself
Hayes is absolutely not just a glove… He had a 4 WAR in 22 and 23
Hayes had a bad year at the plate just like everyone else.
Pirates gotta figure out why that was , and hopefully it was the guy who’s already been fired and replaced (hitting coach)
As far as the pipeline, while they may not technically still be prospects, guys like Yorke and Davis weren’t featured in 2024 and could be big additions to the lineup in 25
I couldn’t care less about your WAR gobblety-gook. The guy had one good half season where he caught fire. Nothing more. He’s the epitome of the term “punch and judy” hitter. Line drive “power” at best
And apologists can claim it’s his back or whatever, but the lack of hustle is atrocious
From a mechanics standpoint, he’s continually diving at pitches on the outside corner and if it spins, he’s finished. The arms extend, the kiester flies out.
The approach, the understanding of pitch counts and what a pitcher is throwing and what an ump is calling —-yeah, he’s not a favorite of mine but hey, good luck with the idea that a new hitting coach will cure everything
I don’t think it will cure everything, but I think there were enough warning signs across the board that the batting coach was potentially a detriment.
And I don’t think Hayes is amazing at the plate, just saying his OPS is usually a lot closer to 700 than the 586 last year.
Enough to justify his plus D at 3rd
Agree to disagree. I like passion and hustle. That’s clearly not him. The contract was one thing and the back issue makes him untradeable, which is unfortunate because he plays like he’d rather be somewhere else
Sorry, but to me “cornerstones” should incorporate attributes that are always in display for a perennial doormat. That hasn’t been the case
You’re right about Haines, of course. The worst. And let’s extend it to a manager who wishes to be Uncle Sheltie when a more Leyland-like approach with such a young roster was likely a better way to go
But it is what it is. Pitchers and catchers will be heading to Florida in a couple months followed by position players shortly thereafter. Hope will spring eternal once again
All true, but I think you’re overthinking it for a number 7 hitter who’s fine on D
Apologies. In re-reading an earlier posting, I placed the word “your” in regards to the WAR numbers you put forward. That made it sound personal. Apologies
Proofreading. What a concept
WWAR is a goofy stat, was just using it to show he’s one of the ok guys at the position
I think we agree more than we think on Hayes.
My point is to push him down the lineup by adding a legit bat ahead of him.
Im not huge on him, but i think he’s a viable 3B who can bat 6th or 7th
He’s an incredibly easy dude to root for! He’s so down to earth
Lost track of him. Was one of 4 pitchers Orioles got in the Dylan Bundy trade with LAA in 2019. Bradish healing, Peek and Brnovich in minors; all 3 still with Baltimore.
Why?
It is a minor league signing for a pitcher who has a high K rate and who they may have seen some level of promise.. Why. not? Doesn’t impact the 40 man or block anybody.
you’re right, it doesn’t affect the 40 man roster
But this team has more important needs than this and I am afraid they will fill those positions from the dumpster
I truly wonder how many people out there see a signing like this and think this is the only call or priority the GM has. You need someone to be like your #15 reliever on the depth chart, better to grab players you’re familiar with who have a little experience early on while the big boys are arguing with Boras about salaries equivalent to the economies of small countries.
Would you rather go hunting for someone during the season? That’s how you end up with Ben Heller.
It’s clockwork. Every year. I’m surprised we haven’t seen the ask for the 20m guys. I was pretty ruff on them about Giolito Bellinger Hoskins last year so they might have finally learned. Although new people could show up.
Ben Cherington is REALLY going for it.
I don’t see how he really can “go for it” – the market is in the process of playing itself out. So far, overpriced contracts have ruled the day. Small market teams need to lay in the weeds and wait out the top end of the market, then pounce on undervalued FAs or swing a trade. You’ve got to wait to see who is going to be expendable once the big FAs land.
For example, the Mets sign Soto and deem Starling Marte expendable. That’s when you move in and convince the Mets to either pay most of the salary and get half of an RF platoon or you’ll pay most in return for a decent prospect AND Marte while sending back a marginal prospect. The Pirates are not in the Soto market – which is better, snagging someone like Marte for peanuts or signing Max Kepler for $10 million and getting last year’s Kepler vs. the 2023 one?
Right now, the Pirates are mitigating risk, being patient. I’d be more upset if Cherington was signing a huge multi-year FA, knowing that such a contract precludes any chance of having Skenes for more than a few years.
Pundit- They will have to trade Skenes in three years now as there is no way that they can afford him.Hopefully he stays healthy in that time.
He will be worth every penny otherwise.
While I like many of your ideas, Pundit, I disagree with the economics associated with the one-size-fits-all excuse of being “small market” and the equation with lack of finances
No, they’ll never compete with LA or any teams with bottomless coffers, but if there’s anything to learn from the Milwaukees, Clevelands, Baltimores and Kansas City’s of the world, it’s that winning is possible. You just need all the parts in place and it starts with ownership. Here in Pittsburgh, we have the worst.
The rebuild is over. For now. But the foundation didn’t make it through without problems. Whereas similar situations in Milwaukee or KC are addressed by spending some cash on mid level players to augment the kids that have been developed, here it’s an exercise in clicking the heels together and hoping a Tellez or Taylor can somehow catch fire instead of spending.
And it’ll never change
This team isn’t that far from competing. They have Reynolds and Cruz. They have starting pitching. But they refuse to sign or trade for guys who’d enhance the bigger picture
That’s the reality. Guys like Santana, Bell….yeah, I’d almost expect such a signing. But they alone won’t move the needle
I’ve been a fan since my dad took me to Forbes Field a thousand years ago. And all I hope for is a .500 team. That’s the best we can hope for
Let’s not worry about signing a better first baseman than last year or another outfielder not named Michael A Taylor
Instead let’s sign a never has been pitcher
Hey Dream, what happened to TiredOldDude?
He’s alive. Too cold to type though.
I worry about our friends when they don’t post their comments
This includes you Dream
I big Cherington move will bring him out. He would have enjoyed that if the Pirates got Naylor they are world series contenders comment.
This is his year though. Or years. All he needs to be happy is 500. They should be there rest of decade mostly. Might even get a playoff spot. See what they do. I already moved into the 2030s. That’s why I wanted a new gm. You gotta have top player development for consistent success.
He’s still here. Between being unable to log in with previous names to forgetting passwords and not being able to recover them, he’s alive and kicking.
I’m afraid that the one big move BC will make this offseason will be for another Van Meter clone
Paul-No worries.Van Meter was nothing more than a temporary stopgap on a very bad team who could also serve as a relief pitcher thereby enhancing his value.
Inasmuch as the Pirates have achieved mediocrity they no longer need players like him.
Paul- A+ comment.