Fansided

Grading every team’s World Series chances after the trade deadline

By Brad Weiss

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 24: Manny Machado #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday July 24, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/SportsChrome/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 24: Manny Machado #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday July 24, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/SportsChrome/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – JULY 25: Jameson Taillon #50 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the Cleveland Indians during the first inning at Progressive Field on July 25, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – JULY 25: Jameson Taillon #50 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the Cleveland Indians during the first inning at Progressive Field on July 25, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images) /

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates entered the 2018 season with a lot of question marks up and down their roster. However, this team has put their head down and played good baseball throughout the first four months of the season, and entered the trade deadline still very much alive in the Wild Card race.

The NL Central is likely going to be won by either the Chicago Cubs or Milwaukee Brewers, two teams who definitely improved their roster during the deadline. However, like we saw in the NL West last season, three teams can come out of the same division, and that could be the case with the NL Central in 2018.

The Pirates were pretty quiet for most of the trading season, and then boom, they swung for the fences in a deal for an elite starting pitcher. Pittsburgh traded for Tampa Bay Rays ace Chris Archer, who now sits atop their rotation, giving them an elite talent to be the ace of their staff moving forward.

Pittsburgh has an outstanding manager in Clint Hurdle, and they are getting very good contributions up and down this lineup. While they do not have a star player like Andrew McCutchen anymore, they do have guys like Gregory Polanco, Starling Marte, and Corey Dickerson, all three of which can rake.

Entering the trade deadline, the Pirates are only three games back in the Wild Card, so they definitely have a shot at sneaking in and making the playoffs. They do  not have the talent to get to a World Series, but you never say never once a team enters the postseason, especially in baseball.

Grade: C

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