Walking the Plank: Time to Sell..But Only a Little

The MLB trading dealing is quickly coming up and every fan base is asking themselves, should we be buyers, sellers, or stay put? As a young Pirate fan, I always dreaded the trading deadline because I knew it meant some of my favorite players like Nate Mclouth were going to be traded away because the Pirates were always sellers during the 20 straight losing seasons. Last season was a bit of a shock to me as the Pirates acquired Chris Archer and Keone Kela, but do not expect the same thing this year Pirate fans.

As the Pirates have slumped out of the All-Star break, it is clear that they are now sellers, but I am here to tell you that they do not need to be HARD sellers. The Pirates have a very good young core of players to add to such as Bell, Newman, Moran, Reynolds, Tucker, Williams, Musgrove, Taillon (when healthy), Rodriquez, and Vazquez, and I think it is important to keep the vast majority of the roster in tact. Trade rumors surrounding this team have been all over the place and I am here to tell you what the Pirates should do... Let's take a look at who they should NOT trade and who they should trade!

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Who Should NOT Be Traded

Corey Dickerson

One player that is on an expiring contract is Corey Dickerson and it is widely expected that he will not be back with the Pirates in 2020 because he will get a large contract elsewhere; if that is the case, the Pirates should trade Dickerson at the deadline to get something in return. In my opinion, I think the Pirates should not trade Dickerson and do everything they can to resign him in 2020. A future outfield of Marte, Reynolds, and Dickerson with Jason Martin on the bench is a sight I need to see.

Felipe Vazquez

There have been rumors for about a month now that the Dodgers are interested in acquiring Vazquez, but unless the offer is just completely overwhelming, the Pirates should keep him. The Buccos have control of Vazquez through 2023 and his contact is about as friendly as it gets in any sports league; with our struggling bullpen, it is important to hold on to him for the future. 

Who Should be Traded

Jordan Lyles

Contenders are always looking for pitching and Lyles could be a pretty good addition to a contender as he has had some very good stretches this season; also, Lyles has shown in the past to be effective coming out of the bullpen, which can increase his stock. Lyles is on a one year deal with the Pirates and it is highly unlikely the Pirates would resign him in 2020, so look out for Lyles to be traded, although I do not think the return would be anything big. Also, this would free up a rotation spot for Mitch Keller and I am 100% in favor of that!

Francisco Liriano

Liriano has been pretty amazing out of the bullpen this year for the Pirates and has exceeded any fans expectation of him. Outside of Vazquez, he has been the most reliable arm in the bullpen; who would have thought! With a 3.26 era and being a lefty arm, Liriano could be a huge addition for a contender and could bring back a pretty significant return. With Liriano being 35 and on a one year deal, he will likely not be back with the Pirates in 2020 and is sure to decline, so it is best to trade him now at his peak. 

Melky Cabrera

Another pleasant surprise for the Pirates this season. Melky is batting .304 and is sure to be on the radar of many contenders as a potential outfield option or more importantly, a veteran bat off of the bench. The Pirates are set at outfield, so losing Melky does not hurt them at all and he should bring back a pretty good return. Also, Melky is on a one year deal and is 34, so it is best to move on now and get a return for him. 

The Pirates have good young talent and moving these older players who are on one year deals can bring in some players that could help the team in 2020. It is no surprise to anybody that the biggest needs for the Pirates are pitching, starters and most importantly, bullpen. These moves would be a good start, but the real difference will need to be made in free agency..... but we all know how that usually goes.

*Note*: If Cervelli was not hurt, he would be on this list to be traded. 

Thanks for reading and Let's Go Bucs!

-Aaron, TGYK