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MLB Trade Deadline: 5 trades Pirates should make

By Parker Hurley

Aug 8, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Francisco Liriano (47) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 8, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Francisco Liriano (47) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 11, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jonathon Niese (18) pitches in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jonathon Niese (18) pitches in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Jon Niese

In the same fashion of the Liriano trade, the Pirates have to be looking to get rid of Jon Niese. Niese is currently just a giant scar from the Neil Walker trade. Walker, the hometown Pirate was traded to the Mets and hits 15 home runs half way through the season and has a WAR of 1.4. In return the Pirates got Niese, the 29-year old who has never established himself in a rotation with a 4.8 ERA and -0.4 WAR. While Liriano has been a bigger disappointment in 2016, Niese has been flat-out worse.

It would be best for the Pirates to just cut their losses at this point. Niese has a small amount of value in that he is locked in for the next two seasons, and both seasons are club options at reasonable prices. You can move on easily from him if he does not work. At the same time he presents an arm that can at the least eat some innings down the stretch of the summer.

With that said, the Pirates should be looking to ship him out to anyone who calls. Why would they want to pay this guy $10 million next year? If they can get someone to pay for the rest of his season and a scratch off lottery ticket of a prospect it would probably be worth it.

It saves them from giving him a phantom DL stint to push the younger arms over him, and it just doesn’t feel like it will work for him.

Next: 3. Mark Melancon

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