CHERINGTON STILL DEALING AS BUCS STRUGGLE ON THE FIELD

The spotlight for the Pirates was again on the front office instead of the field last night, as General Manager Ben Cherington continued to maneuver ahead of the Major League Baseball trading deadline.

Cherington pulled off his third trade in three days, but this one wasn’t as easy.  Pitcher Tyler Anderson was scratched from last night’s start when it appeared the Pirates had worked out a trade to the Phillies for a pair of Single-A prospects, but the deal fell apart, so the Bucs swapped Anderson to Seattle instead, with the Mariners sending back 22-year-old catcher Carter Bins and 18-year-old right-handed pitcher Joaquin Tejada.

Bins was the Mariners’ 11^th-round draft pick in 2019 and was rated the No. 29 prospect in Seattle’s system.  He was hitting .284 with seven homers, 10 doubles and 31 RBI at High-A Everett before being promoted to Double-A Arkansas, where he played 10 games and was 2-for-30.

Tejada is small, at 5-11, 160 pounds.  He has played two games this summer in the Dominican Summer League, giving up six runs – four earned – on one hit with four walks and eight strikeouts.

The Pirates then recalled Cody Ponce from Indianapolis to replace Anderson and Rodolfo Castro from Altoona to replace Adam Frazier, who was traded on Sunday to San Diego.  Castro started at second base last night.

On the field, with Anderson not available the Pirates turned to a Rule 5 pickup from last winter who had never started a Major league game.  It did not turn out well.

Joe Block has the story.

The series continues tonight with the Pirates not announcing a starter yet.  Adrian Hauser starts for Milwaukee.  6:40 airtime on WCCS.

Manager Derek Shelton didn’t see a lot of bright spots for the Bucs last night, but one of them was the work of Ponce, who pitched five innings of three-hit, scoreless relief.

The Pirates also yesterday signed their 14^th round draft pick, outfielder Braylon Bishop of Texarkana, Arkansas.  He was the Bucs’ fifth Top 100 draft pick according to the scouting services.  He dropped to the 14^th round because of his baseball commitment to the University of Arkansas.  The Bucs went over slot to convince Bishop to sign.