Pirates get starting LF in trade with Tampa
BRADENTON, Fla. — Who would have guessed that after the Pirates assembled a six-man pool of leftfield candidates, a nearly perfect option would become available more than a week into spring training?
The Pirates acquired Corey Dickerson from the Tampa Bay Rays Thursday in exchange for reliever Daniel Hudson, minor league infielder Tristan Gray and cash. Dickerson, a 2017 All-Star who played 150 games and hit 27 home runs in 2017, will be the Pirates’ primary left fielder.
The Rays designated the Dickerson, 28, for assignment Saturday when they traded for C.J. Cron. The move was surprising given Dickerson’s salary ($5.95 million in his second year of arbitration) and production: In 629 plate appearances last season, the left-handed-hitting Dickerson had a .325 onbase percentage, a .282 average and an .815 OPS. Dickerson hit at least 24 home runs in three of his five major league seasons.
“We felt like it made all the sense in the world for us,” general manager Neal Huntington said.
Huntington also lauded Dickerson’s commitment to remaking his body, a process which began last offseason, which will be important when defending PNC Park’s cavernous left field.
“Different body, different athleticism,” Huntington said. “Still hasn’t played 120 games out there in a given season but we did see a player that was more athletic, a player that had committed himself, and our reports so far this spring are that he might be in even better shape.”
Adding Dickerson gives the Pirates another lefthanded power hitter, along with Colin Moran, Gregory Polanco and switch-hitting Josh Bell, who can take advantage of the short, but high, Clemente Wall in right field.
“As long as the hitter can continue to be the type of hitter that he is and doesn’t get swayed or influenced and tries to do too much and get outside of what his strengths are, it can be a distinct advantage,” Huntington said.
The salaries are basically a wash, with the Pirates sending $1 million to Tampa Bay in the deal. Hudson was in the second year of a two-year, $11 million contract. Hudson, 30, had a 4.38 ERA in 71 appearances last year, with 4.8 walks per nine innings. Using the slide step fulltime helped his timing and he pitched well during stretches, but he was inconsistent.
The trade means George Kontos likely will serve as the full-time setup man. Kontos, Felipe Rivero, Kyle Crick and Michael Feliz all have spots, and it appears Tyler Glasnow and Steven Brault could end up in relief as well. The final spot could go to Rule 5 pick Jordan Milbrath, righty A.J. Schugel (who is out of options) or another lefty such as Josh Smoker.
“We felt like we were dealing from an area of strength,” Huntington said.
The Pirates drafted Gray, 21, in the 13th round in 2017 out of Rice. He had a .329 on-base percentage, a .486 slugging percentage, seven home runs and a .269 average in 53 games at short-season West Virginia while playing both middle infield positions.
“Tristan Gray is a guy that our development people like a lot and Tampa did a very nice job of identifying him and making sure that he was part of the deal,” Huntington said. “We worked hard to get Tristan out of the deal and Tampa just wouldn’t let us.”
The Colorado Rockies drafted Dickerson in 2010 out of Meridian Community College in Mississippi. He spent three years in the majors in Colorado before the Rockies sent him to Tampa Bay, along with Kevin Padlo, in exchange for Jake McGee and German Marquez before the 2016 season.
The Pirates added Daniel Nava and Michael Saunders on minor league contracts and traded for Bryce Brentz, adding them to Jordan Luplow, Sean Rodriguez and Adam Frazier in the group of possible left fielders. Luplow, Nava, Saunders, Brentz, Max Moroff and Jose Osuna are candidates for the final bench spot. Dickerson, who has started 326 major league games in left field, appears to be the answer they were searching for.