North Shore Nine

To trade, or not to trade, that is the question. Whether ’tis nobler in the media to suffer the comments and barbs of outrageous fortune. Or to trade arms against a sea of malcontents, and by opposing calm them. This is the dance of the Pirates this season as they finally look good enough to potentially contend, yet are not maybe good enough to sustain. However, when it comes down to what the Pirates should do this season it is very simple, Why not both?

The market has not fleshed itself out just yet but it is starting too. The Kansas City Royals dealt their 2nd best prospect (Cayden Wallace 3B [50]) and the 39th overall pick for RP Hunter Harvey. A huge haul for a non closer, even with two years of control left after this season. If that is the market for bullpen arms, and it always is, then the Pirates would do very well to trade Arolids Chapman. Even as they contend for a Wild Card spot, or the division. If they are able to get a 50 rated or higher prospect it would be well worth it in the long run. Teams like the Yankees or Dodgers or Phillies or Orioles could be teams looking for a established dominant RP for their bullpens. If so and if desperate maybe the Pirates could snag a Pereira, Liranzo, Saltiban or Norby for Chapman with a cash kicker. Maybe that is setting sights a bit high but the RP market can be crazy and it was how the Pirates got Oneil Cruz.
Furthermore, the Pirates have a number of other offseason acquisitions who could potentially be dealt at or before the deadline. Martin Perez, Marco Gonzales, Yasmani Grandal and Michael A. Taylor could all be pieces that are available. Now the last two will probably not be of interest in many clubs, and if either were to move it would likely be for the IFA funds, much like Austin Hedges. However, Perez and Gonzales should be more intriguing to contenders. Both could get a pair of Top 20 (Team) prospects from an opposing team. Last year both Jack Flaherty and Rich Hill got a pair of prospects in similar deals. Also last year the Tigers got a Top 5 prospect for FA to be Michael Lorenzen, though Lorenzen was having an All-Star season. The Pirates, if able to deal two of three of these offseason acquitions, could then use these new pieces as trade bait themselves. Or use them to replace guys they trade out of their current system in order to add to the current team.
There have been a number of articles written here on NS9 about potential trade targets, from Luis Robert Jr.to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.and everyone in-between. The Pirates need to add a bat, if they are able to deal some FA pieces to be to help acquire one they need to. In the end of the day, subtracting smaller pieces to then add a bigger piece will be the best way to push this team forward.