Pirates Pitcher Named Cut Candidate After Losing Streak
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates' August collapse may compel the organization to clean house with all eyes trained on competing in 2025 and beyond. As the team prioritizes evaluating some of its younger talent, one veteran pitcher could find himself on the chopping block in the coming weeks.
FanSided's Christopher Kline believes the Pirates should consider cutting left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman loose, stating that his command issues and declining production have barred him from adequately filling a set-up role for the team.
"Chapman is a 36-year-old pitcher coming off the worst individual season of his career," Kline wrote. "The Pirates were in need of leverage pitchers in the pen, but Chapman's velocity fails to make up for increasingly erratic location control and a crippling walk problem."
The Pirates signed Chapman to a one-year, $10.5 million deal in January with hopes that he could further bolster the backend of the bullpen alongside closer David Bednar. While it was considered a hefty price tag even at the time, he was coming off of a 2023 season in which he won a World Series with the Texas Rangers and recorded a 3.09 ERA, 2.52 FIP and 15.89 K/9 over 61 appearances.
Chapman has largely held his own this season, owning a 3.43 ERA and 3.82 FIP across 50 innings and 44 2/3 innings. The main issue, as Kline noted, has come with his lack of control late in games. Among qualified relievers, Chapman is responsible for an MLB-worst 6.85 BB/9 while also blowing four saves throughout the course of the year.
There was some thought that Chapman could be on the move at July's trade deadline after Pittsburgh acquired lefty reliever Jalen Beeks from the Colorado Rockies. The club ultimately opted to keep him around as they attempted to make a playoff push, though those efforts now appear futile as they currently sit 7.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot in the National League with a 56-64 record.
Should the Pirates move on from Chapman by waiving him, it's not far-fetched to think a contending team could claim the flame-throwing southpaw, saving the team some money in the process. He's enjoyed a strong second half despite the club's struggles, posting a 0.90 ERA with just two walks across 10 innings. A two-time World Series champion with 44 postseason appearances under his belt, other teams likely have more of a need than Pittsburgh for Chapman at this stage, making a parting of ways all the more realistic.
JACK MARKOWSKI