Pirates Could Move On From Trade Deadline Acquisitions
A mere months after making a pair of trades at the trade deadline to bolster their offense, the Pittsburgh Pirates could opt to go in a different direction before next season.
The Pirates traded for outfielder Bryan De La Cruz and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in July when they were still in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs. Neither player really lived up to expectations as the Pirates fell out of contention en route to missing the playoffs
With arbitration looming for De La Cruz and a projected salary of $4 million, MLB Trade Rumors' Mark Polishuk said the Pirates may choose to cut ties with the right-handed hitting outfielder.
"Despite his three years of arbitration control remaining, a projected $4MM arb salary for 2025 could make the Pirates think twice about retaining De La Cruz at all, let alone giving him a regular job in right field," Polishuk wrote. "A $4MM salary might usually not be considered too pricey to give De La Cruz another shot, but every dollar counts when it comes to the Pirates."
Before being traded to the Pirates, De La Cruz played in 105 games for the Miami Marlins and he hit 18 home runs, had 51 RBIs and slashed .245/.417/.707. Those numbers took a precipitous drop upon arriving in Pittsburgh, as he hit three home runs and had just 17 RBIs and slashed .200/.220/.294 in 44 games.
Similar to De La Cruz, Kiner-Falefa got off to a strong start with the Toronto Blue Jays, as he hit .292/.338/.420 with seven home runs and 33 RBIs. Then after the Pirates traded for the utility infielder, he was a shell of the player that made him a valuable commodity at the trade deadline, as he hit .240/.322/.587 with just one home run and 10 RBIs in 50 games.
Kiner-Falefa's versatility is a valuable asset for any team but given the Pirates' reluctance to spend money, Polishuk wouldn't be surprised if Pittsburgh opts to save money by moving on from the veteran infielder.
"Isiah Kiner-Falefa projects as the starting shortstop for now, despite IKF’s lack of hitting after he was picked up by the Blue Jays at the trade deadline," Polishuk wrote. "The Pirates surely had an eye towards using Kiner-Falefa being part of the 2025 squad this past summer, yet even with Toronto covering a piece of his salary, Pittsburgh might deem him a little too expensive for what he brought to the table. Another swap wouldn’t be too surprising, though having an experienced and versatile infielder on the roster has some natural benefits for a young Pirates roster."
