Gold Lot Sports - Bryse Wilson, Among Others, Buc'ing Pirates Trade Cliché

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(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)


Last night, Pittsburgh Pirate starting pitcher, Bryse Wilson, pitched five innings and gave up zero runs on two hits.  In the effort, he also struck out seven Arizona Diamondback hitters.  Wilson is 23 years of age, and he got me thinking, “How did we acquire him again?”

Wilson was acquired in the trade where the Pirates sent Richard Rodriguez to the Atlanta Braves.  Right-handed pitcher, Ricky Devito, was also acquired in the trade.  Devito is currently on the 60 day Injured List.

While watching Wilson pitch last night, I also noticed Michael Chavis in the starting lineup.  This got me thinking again about how GM Ben Cherington (GMBC) is breaking the cliché of Pittsburgh Pirates’ trading.  GMBC is not just acquiring prospects in trades like GM's of ole.  He is acquiring major league ready talent.

Bryse Wilson

For years, the Pirates made trades to acquire “prospects” that were never heard from again.  They’d be brought up from the minor leagues, given a chance, and fail in their opportunity.  Bryan Reynolds is obviously a standout from that rule, but Jason Martin is the first guy that comes to mind when thinking of all these lost prospects.

However, GMBC is showing he is not afraid to go out and get major league ready talent.  Take Wilson as an example.  At just 23 years old, he has already logged four starts with the Pirates, less than a month after the trade deadline.  In those starts he has a 3.60 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.  Wilson also has 15 strikeouts versus 5 walks in his 20 innings pitched.

Not only does he have respectable numbers, but Wilson has a future with this ball club.  He is arbitration eligible through 2026.  There is no reason he cannot be a veteran presence in this team’s rotation years down the road if he continues to be this successful.

Hoy Park

Another standout acquired at this year’s trade deadline is infielder Hoy Park.  Two things stand out to me about Park.  The first being we received him in a trade where we sent Clay Holmes to the New York Yankees.  Yes, that Clay Holmes.  While Holmes has been pitching well in his time with the Yankees so far, he had a 4.93 ERA this season with the Bucs and still holds a career ERA of 5.30.

Typically, moving a guy like this would have resulted in the famous “Player to be named later and cash considerations.”  Fortunately, GMBC was able to get major league ready talent in return instead. 

And while Park was optioned to the minor leagues after 65 plate appearances with the big club, he was still a major league ready return.  That is the second thing that stands out about this trade.  How often have the Pirates receive position players in the past that appear instantly in the major league lineup?  Plus, one that slid right in as the Pirates 26th best prospect.

Michael Chavis

Utility-man, Michael Chavis is an interesting case.  Again, I feel the major point about Chavis is receiving a major league ready position player in a trade for a throw away bullpen arm.  The Pirates acquired Chavis from the Boston Red Sox for reliever Austin Davis.  Davis, too, has been doing relatively better with his new club, but he also owns a 5.33 career ERA at 28 years old. 

Chavis has had a roller coaster of a career.  He broke into the league in 2019 and took it by storm.  He hit 18 homeruns in his first 347 at-bats.  However, since then he has really tapered off.  Over the last two seasons, he had batted just .212 and .190 respectively for the Red Sox before getting a change of scenery. 

The change of scenery has already had a bit of a positive effect.  Chavis has three hits, in 12 at-bats with the Pirates with one homerun.  I like giving him at-bats with very little pressure in a new atmosphere to see if he can regain his power.  He is also arbitration eligible through 2025.  While we may not see Chavis much past next season, if he continues to struggle, I like getting a major league hitter for a below average, older reliever.  It is better than getting “cash considerations”, in my opinion.

GMBC - Trend Buster

Overall, I have been happy with how Ben Cherington has handled trades.  He is stock piling prospects while also acquiring major league  talent.  He did so before the season by acquiring Miguel Yajure and Wil Crowe, and has shown the continued ability to do so at this most recent trade deadline.  It's a different way of doing things for this Pirates team and different is definitely welcome right now.