The Pittsburgh Pirates have reportedly had discussions with the New York Yankees about acquiring starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently fighting for one of the two Wild Card spots in the National League. They currently sit 2.5 games behind the New York Mets and Miami Marlins.
One of their weaknesses has been their starting rotation. They’re looking for arms to add to their rotation at the 2016 MLB Trade Deadline. One of those arms is reportedly Nathan Eovaldi of the New York Yankees.
Source: #Pirates have talked with Yankees about possibility of acquiring RHP Nathan Eovaldi
— RobBiertempfel (@RobBiertempfel) July 16, 2016
Eovaldi has struggled this season with a 5.11 ERA and a 7-6 record in 16 starts. However, the Pirates are desperate for starting pitching and there are some reasons to be optimistic about Eovaldi. He strikes guys out at a pretty good rate with 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings. Eovaldi walks 2.9 batters per nine innings, which isn’t terrible. He has likely seen his ERA inflated thanks to pitching in the competitive American League East.
The Yankees pitcher could also pitch out of the bullpen should the Pirates get their rotation in order. What has been concerning about Eovaldi is the rise in his FIP. Before 2016, it had been hovering around 3.30 to 3.60 over the three previous seasons.
In 2016, his FIP has risen to 5.04. However, the Pirates have had a lot of luck in turning pitchers around. Francisco Liriano and Edinson Volquez are two recent examples. Eovaldi could see a career revival in Pittsburgh and it likely wouldn’t cost the Pirates much to get him.
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