Pirates trade rumors: Pittsburgh eying Ben Zobrist deal?

By Josh Hill | Jul 21, 2015

Jul 19, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics first baseman Mark Canha (20) rounds third to score a run on a double by second baseman Ben Zobrist (not pictured) against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

The Pittsburgh Pirates are looking to be buyers at the trade deadline, and have a few outfielders in mind.

When the MLB trade deadline arrives next week, it’s going to feature a flurry of activity all across the league. Teams are starting to position themselves now to make a run at players they think they need to fill in the voids on their rosters and one of those teams is the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Bucs are missing two of their best players in Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer and they’re looking at the trade market for ways to alleviate the pain before the final stretch of the season is upon us all.

According to Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates are interested in trading for Ben Zobrist, Clint Barmes or Cliff Pennington to fill the ovum left by Harrison and Mercer being out.

There’s a growing market for players who aren’t pitchers at the trade deadline. Maybe it was always there and we were all just obsessed with Cole Hamels and Johnny Cueto, but names like Upton, Barmes, Bruce and others could be on the move as well. Pittsburgh is currently in the postseason picture, as they’d own the No. 1 Wild Card spot if the postseason began today.

That’s not a guaranteed ticket to the actual postseason though, as it’s just an invitation to a one-game playoff, a game that would be against the Cubs at the moment. The Bucs want the NL Central crown and they’re just four-games behind the Cardinals for control of the division.

Acquiring help at the deadline seems to be a no-brainer, but the question is can the Pirates land the right player to help them compete or will the team make the wrong move and sink their ship before ti reaches World Series waters.

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