This story was updated at 6:40 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27, 2021.
Itโs a weird time to be a Pirate right now.
Left-hander Tyler Anderson, the scheduled starter for Tuesdayโs game against the Milwaukee Brewers, was reportedly traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. Then the deal reportedly hit a snag, and he walked out to the bullpen before Tuesdayโs game and began throwing.
Meanwhile, right-hander Max Kranick was at PNC Park, likely to replace Anderson on the active roster in the case of a trade that was currently in limbo.
If that doesnโt outline how strange the trade deadline can be for teams, then nothing does.
The next trade, whether it is Anderson or someone else, will be the third deal the Pirates have made since Sunday. They sent second baseman Adam Frazier to the San Diego Padres on Sunday, then dealt right-hander Clay Holmes to the New York Yankees on Monday.
Amidst all that chaos, there is opportunity. The next player who will get a chance to take advantage of a roster opening is one fans will be excited to see: Infielder Rodolfo Castro was called up, ostensibly, as Frazierโs short-term replacement. Right-hander Cody Ponce was added to the roster to take Holmesโ spot. With the will-he, wonโt-he going on with Anderson and the first pitch of Tuesdayโs series opener closing in, the Pirates also announced that right-handed Rule 5 pick Luis Oviedo would start.
Again, strange times.
Castro will be the highlight for many. The 22-year-old has been lighting it up in Class AA Altoona this season and has played in seven games with the Pirates, going 3-for-14 with three home runs, all hit against the New York Mets before the All-Star break.
Manager Derek Shelton who must be on a knifeโs edge with his lineups at this point, says Castro will be shortstop Kevin Newmanโs middle infield partner for now, though that may not be the case for all that long.
โI think for the short term right now Rudy will play some second base,โ Shelton said. โIn the long term, honestly, I don't know. I think we'll probably wait and get through the deadline, kind of re-evaluate a bunch of different things, but [Castro] will be in there probably for the next couple days.โ
General manager Ben Cherington said after the Frazier trade that the most important thing to the Pirates is that Castro continues to get regular repetitions, wherever heโs playing. Without Frazier, perhaps those needs could be met in the majors.
During batting practice, Castro outlined the lessons he has learned in the majors so far, reminding himself to stay calm and not try to do too much. That has led him to an increased belief in his ability to slot in for Frazier, no matter how long heโs in Pittsburgh.
โIn all reality, I feel very ready, very comfortable, very confident, not just physically but especially mentally for this opportunity and this situation thatโs being provided to me,โ Castro said Tuesday through team translator Mike Gonzalez. โI think more than just having to prove them something or show them something, I think the most important part is to remain confident, remain trusting my routine, my preparation, and more than anything show them that Iโm dependable, that Iโm a guy that when they put me out on their field, Iโm going to give it everything that I have, and they can depend on me. Not just them but also my teammates.โ
As for Ponce, it is not clear how he will be used, although the Pirates will surely need some innings eaten up at some point, especially if Anderson is on the outs.
For now, though, Oviedo got the starting nod Tuesday, which is a surprise. Before Tuesday, he had topped out at three innings in any given outing this season, and the most pitches he had thrown was a 52-pitch game for Indianapolis on July 9. To be fair, three of his last four appearances for Indianapolis were as a starter, he just didnโt build up much volume.
Granted, this may not be a permanent move. At some point, the dust will settle on this wild week, and the Pirates will have a definite idea of their roster for the rest of the season. Some more definite decisions on the rest of the season could be made then.
In the meantime, the remaining Pirates fall into three categories. They are either at risk of being traded in the near future, recent call-ups who have joined the team as a result of trades, or remaining players left to trudge through it all. That can be difficult when it isnโt clear who will be on the roster, let alone in the lineup, any given game.
โIt's definitely a weird dynamic. Anybody that says it's not a weird dynamic when there's things that are speculated about a report, about 50% which are probably true, 50% which are not true, you never know,โ Shelton said. โThere's always speculation out there. It's my job and our staff's job to keep it on course. I think with the two guys that we traded, in terms of Holmes and Frazier, they did a really good job of staying there and staying in the moment. That's a big message for our staff is just staying within the moment of where we're at and what we're doing, and we'll try to communicate with you as much as possible.โ
Mike Persak: mpersak@post-gazette.com and Twitter @MikeDPersak
First Published: July 27, 2021, 8:30 p.m.
Updated: July 27, 2021, 10:39 p.m.
