Five potential trade targets for the Pittsburgh Pirates NL Central contenders
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in a position to make a big move at the trade deadline. They entered the break at.500, 1.5 games off of a Wild Card place, and should almost certainly buy. By the end of this homestand, they might be in one of the playoff slots as the trade deadline approaches and August arrives.
But the Pirates should aspire for more than a Wild Card position. They should strive for the division. The Milwaukee Brewers barely have a safe lead at this point, clinging to single digits. The Pirates won three games against the Brewers from July 8 to July 14.
However, in order to catch up to the Brewers and pass the Cardinals, the Pirates must win in a timely manner, and the best way to do so is to win more frequently in general. The Pirates’ starting pitching staff has been excellent all season. Their infield and bullpen are coming together, but they could still need another hitter and potentially another reliever.
These trade options might put the Pirates over the top and help them compete for the National League Central Division crown. While the Pirates cannot expect to sign all five of the players named above, signing one or two might provide the Bucs a significant lift moving into the second half of the season.
Taylor Ward
The Pirates require an outfielder, and Taylor Ward is one of the more undervalued players on the market. The Los Angeles Angels outfielder is enjoying a decent season, but he still has a lot of untapped potential and could be a huge asset to any lineup, particularly the Pirates’.
Ward has a.226/.312/.401 triple-slash for the year. He now has a career-high 25.3% strikeout rate, but he walks at a solid 10.5% rate and has an above-average isolated slugging percentage of.173. Overall, he has been a league-average contributor, with a.313 wOBA and 100 wRC+.
Ward has been a competent defender over the past two seasons. He has spent the most of his time in left field, with +4 defensive runs saved and +3 outs over average. Ward has a decent start on the ball, ranking 17th in feet vs. average at 1.9. Ward has a powerful arm that he can use in the outfield corners. He has arm strength that ranks in the 68th percentile.
Ward is a reliable hitter with an excellent glove. He could be terrific, but how will he significantly improve this offense? Ward’s engine is far more powerful than his automobile appears to be. Ward is in the 86th percentile of xwOBA (.356) and the 87th percentile of xSLG% (.486). In 2024, 53 main outfielders have made at least 250 plate appearances. Ward has the second-largest difference between his SLG% and xSLG%, the greatest gap between his wOBA and xwOBA, and the seventh-largest disparity between his batting average and xBA (.246).
Ward also possesses exceptional raw power. He has the sixth-best barrel rate among outfielders with 250 or more plate appearances, at 15%. That puts you in the 91st percentile among all batters. Ward also has the 13th highest exit velocity among outfielders, at 91.3 MPH. Both are career highs for Ward.
The second reason to trust is Ward’s track record of productivity. From 2021 to 2023, Ward hit.265/.346/.449 with a.345 wOBA and 121 wRC+. His isolated slugging percentage was.183, and he averaged 22 home runs per 600 plate appearances. Ward had a higher-than-average walk rate (9.8%) and strikeout rate (21.1%).
The final reason to think is that the Pirates can provide Ward with further lineup protection. There is no reason to deceive and pretend the Pirates’ offense resembles the Murderers’ Row Yankees. However, they have far more promise than the Angels’ lineup, particularly given how much time Mike Trout has lost. Since the beginning of June, the Pirates have batted.238/.300/.393 with a 93 wRC+. The Angels are batting.224/.303/.370, with an 87 wRC+. The Pirates have an exit velocity of 89.1 mph and an 8.5% barrel rate. The Angels only have an exit velocity of 88.1 MPH and a barrel rate of 7.2%.
Ward has primarily hit third this season, with Luis Rengifo batting second and Willie Calhoun making the most plate appearances in the cleanup role. Miguel Sano has also had a few plate appearances in the four hole. While Rengfio has performed admirably and Calhoun has hit above-average this season, Ward, who bats between Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz, has far more potential to cause significant damage.
Batting Ward between Reynolds and Cruz may also be enough to bring him closer to his projected stats. Pitchers can’t pitch around Reynolds as often since they’d have to face Ward. Pitchers would then have to clamp down on Ward because they didn’t want a man on base with Oneil Cruz at the plate.
Acquiring Ward would also remove Jack Suwinski and Michael A. Taylor’s bats from the lineup more often. They are the only Pirates with a sub-.600 OPS in at least 180 plate appearances this year, making them one of the team’s worst weaknesses. Adding a bat with Ward’s potential to the lineup would be a significant boost.
Finally, Ward is under management for two more seasons, until 2026. Bringing in Ward would provide the Pirates with an outfield option for the next two seasons. Given that Bryan Reynolds is the only guaranteed performer in the Pirates’ outfield next year, bringing in a player like Ward may help cement the lineup for a few seasons.
With all of this in mind, Ward might provide a significant boost to the Pirates offensive. The potential is all there. A stronger lineup setting might help him step up and become a better hitter. Furthermore, he enhances an outfield that has struggled this season, particularly in terms of hitting.
