The Pirates have done enough on offense and in the rotation to stay in the conversation, but the bullpen is the part that still looks unfinished as the trade deadline approaches.
Pittsburgh has put together one of the better lineups in the Majors even while missing some key bats, including Oneil Cruz, Konnor Griffin and Spencer Horwitz. The starting staff has also held up well behind Paul Skenes and Braxton Ashcraft. What’s left is the relief corps, and that’s where the pressure is building.
“Though their bullpen hasn't been a complete disaster, it has been disaster-adjacent -- bad enough that their closer to begin the season, Dennis Santana, was just designated for assignment and went unclaimed,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote Thursday.
“Gregory Soto, Yohan Ramirez and Mason Montgomery are perfectly fine bullpen options, but only Montgomery belongs in a leverage role,” Passan added. “Which puts the impetus on Pittsburgh to remake its relief corps and secure its first postseason spot since 2015.”
Passan pointed to a Padres arm as the best fit for Pittsburgh, and it wasn’t Mason Miller. Instead, he identified left-hander Adrian Morejon as the target who makes the most sense. Morejon may not carry Miller’s name value, but the 27-year-old has become one of the game’s better relievers.
“Should they land relievers -- and they are trawling everywhere for them -- the Pirates' potential comes that much closer to morphing into reality. They're two games back of the final wild-card spot.
A playoff berth is within reach,” Passan added. “And whether it's one of the Mets' arms or a high-strikeout type like Ryan Zeferjahn or even the flamethrowing Morejón, the upgrades are there for the taking.”
Morejon would give the Pirates a real late-inning weapon and could even slide into the closer’s role. In 57.1 innings, he has posted a 3.14 ERA with 64 strikeouts and a 61.3% ground ball rate, fueled by a power sinker.
He’s also an impending free agent, which would make him a rental for Pittsburgh. Even so, a move like that would give the Pirates’ bullpen a much-needed jolt.
In Other News...
Jason Adam Update Just Raised The Stakes For A.J. Preller
Jason Adams recovery from a right shoulder strain is giving the Padres a clearer picture of their bullpen, even if it is not the kind of clarity they would have chosen. The reliever is targeting a return to pitching in late August, and the club is taking its time while the discomfort fully subsides before moving him into a throwing program. It is a reminder of how fragile bullpen plans can be this time of year, especially for a team trying to line up its roster for the stretch run.
For A.J. Preller, the update matters beyond one injured arm. San Diego has enough reason to think about late-inning depth, but Adams situation also pushes the front office toward a more important question at the deadline: whether the bigger need is another starting pitcher rather than another reliever. If Adam comes back on schedule, the Padres could still have a formidable mix for the final months, but the path to getting there now looks tied to how aggressively they address the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Face A Defining Angels Trade Choice For Their Rotation
The Padres are still staring at a rotation question that could shape the rest of their season, and the Angels have at least two arms that fit the conversation. Jos Soriano and Reid Detmers both bring the kind of team control that makes them more than a rental fix, which is why any deal would almost certainly mean parting with meaningful prospect capital. For San Diego, the appeal is obvious: add a starter who can stabilize the middle of the staff and help take pressure off the rest of the pitching mix.
Detmers, in particular, checks a few boxes that matter in this ballpark and this roster. The left-hander has flashed a much cleaner strikeout-to-walk profile than Soriano, and his profile plays better in Petco Park, where some of the damage from fly balls can be softened. He would also give the Padres a third conventional starter, a move that could allow JP Sears, Randy Vsquez and other multi-inning arms to stay in shorter roles while the club decides how aggressive it wants to be in talks with Anaheim. [Read more 🡒]