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Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington speaks during the Major League Baseball's general manager meetings, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz.
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Analysis: Wednesday could bring final nudge for Pirates' pursuit of starting pitching help

AP

Analysis: Wednesday could bring final nudge for Pirates' pursuit of starting pitching help

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pirates’ months-long search for additional starting pitching help seems to be nearing its end.

For one, Wednesday represents the first day the Pirates — along with 27 other clubs — can put players on the 60-day injured list, which will open space on their 40-man roster.

Sources confirmed to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Pittsburgh is actively and seriously discussing several starting rotation options, both via trade and free agency. It would also make sense for general manager Ben Cherington to get something done before the first full squad workout of spring training on Monday.

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One such conversation involves the Miami Marlins, who have several young, talented starting pitchers wielding multiple years of club control.

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Eury Perez, Jesus Luzardo, Braxton Garrett and Edward Cabrera are the names, although it’s seemingly unlikely the Marlins would be willing to move the two guys who started playoff games for them (Luzardo and Garrett) in 2023 or a 20-year-old who just completed a terrific rookie year (Perez).

Cabrera, meanwhile, fits the bill.

He’s only 25, although he made his MLB debut in 2021. In 43 MLB games (41 starts), the right-hander has pitched to a 4.01 ERA with 221 strikeouts in 197 2/3 innings, racking up plenty of strikeouts and displaying great swing-and-miss stuff.

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The problem is Cabrera’s control. His walk rate (15.2%) this past season was among MLB’s worst, and Cabrera so far has 5.4 batters per nine innings, which the Pirates would obviously need to improve.

But Cabrera would be under club control through 2028, and he would give the Pirates exactly what they need — a dynamic young starter who’s going to be in Pittsburgh for years to come.

Among possibilities for the 60-man injured list, Johan Oviedo and Endy Rodriguez are both out for the year. JT Brubaker won’t be back until midseason.

If the Pirates went the free agent route, there are a couple options they’re considering … and, no, Trevor Bauer, the 2020 Cy Young Award winner who’s looking for a second chance after several sexual-assault allegations, is not one of them.

Pittsburgh Pirates Andrew McCutchen interacts with fans during Spring training at Pirate City in Bradenton on Monday, Feb 20, 2023.  PHOTO CREDIT IS FOR ARCHIVE PURPOSES ONLY, DO NOT USE)  (for the Post-Gazette)  #bradenton2023
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The two most likely options at this point seem to be Noah Syndergaard and Domingo German. Pittsburgh has seen both pitch. The Pirates have also dug deeper into German’s background, which requires a separate discussion similar to that of Bauer.

MLB suspended German 81 games following an incident in September 2019 where he became intoxicated, belligerent and physical toward his then-girlfriend (now wife).

This past August, the Yankees placed German on MLB’s restricted list after he reportedly showed up to the clubhouse drunk, confronted manager Aaron Boone, flipped a couch and smashed a TV.

After the incident, German entered an inpatient treatment program and has completed the necessary steps. According to a tweet Tuesday from MLB insider Mike Gonzalez, the Angels are another club that has expressed interest in German.

The most recent major leaguer to throw a perfect game, German has a 4.41 ERA in 112 career games, including 89 starts. He went 18-4 with a 4.03 ERA, with 153 strikeouts in 143 innings before his 2019 suspension.

Back in January, the Pirates were one of a handful of teams to show interest in Syndergaard, who was an All-Star with the Mets in 2016 but has a 4.96 ERA in 43 games (42 starts) the past two seasons.

If the Pirates ultimately trade for Cabrera, there should be nothing stopping them from also adding German or Syndergaard since the financial commitment would still be minimal.

A possible Marlins/Cabrera trade would likely involve Liover Peguero, Nick Gonzales or Ji Hwan Bae — three of the four competitors at second base — and Cabrera’s 2024 salary wouldn’t be all that different.

German, meanwhile, is not expected to command a large salary due to his past transgressions. The hangup there, of course, would be the Pirates feeling comfortable that German has changed and the steps made via rehab were going to stick.

Whatever the case, the Pirates seemingly know that the clock is ticking, and it sure sounds like the impending roster flexibility could be the nudge needed to get something across the goal line.

Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.

First Published: February 14, 2024, 3:09 a.m.
Updated: February 14, 2024, 2:50 p.m.

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