The hours are ticking down in advance of Friday's 2015 MLB Trade Deadline, and there's plenty of intrigue to go around surrounding all 30 MLB teams -- ESPECIALLY the Pittsburgh Pirates. With that in mind, here's our Pirates Trade Rumors: 3 Things To Know At The Trade Deadline.
Pittsburgh Unlikely To Deal Pedro Alvarez
The Pittsburgh Pirates are now likely to hang onto Pedro Alvarez after shopping him for several weeks without receiving much interest, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
They talked to the Brewers, White Sox, and Rays about acquiring Adam Lind, Adam LaRoche, and James Loney, respectively, but they're unlikely to get another first baseman with Alvarez in the fold.
ESPN's Jayson Stark adds that multiple sources have downplayed the recent reports connecting Pittsburgh to the Red Sox‘ Mike Napoli.
Pirates Interested In Shawn Kelley
Reliever Shawn Kelley, 31, has been a dependable and serviceable bridge option in the bullpen for the Padres this year, pitching to a 3.25 ERA with a 1.08 while striking out 39 batters in 36 innings pitched (32 appearances). That's enough to have piqued the interest of the Pittsburgh Pirates, per John Perrotto of USA Today:
Not a name that'll excite the masses but #Pirates have interest in reliable #Padres reliever Shawn Kelley. #MLB
— John Perrotto (@JPerrotto) July 28, 2015
Kelley is finishing up a one-year deal with the Padres worth just over $2.8 million. An unrestricted free agent this winter, Kelley was recently at the center of a bench-clearing incident with San Francisco Giants catcher Hector Sanchez. No punches were thrown.
Where Do The Pirates Stand On Justin Upton?
Per Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, the San Diego Padres star "is being eyed by the Orioles, Mets, Pirates, and others. He can be an impact hitter, but again, he’ll be a big-ticket item in the offseason."
Upton has been connected to several teams as of late, with the New York Mets emerging as the most aggressive suitor for the 27-year-old slugger in recent days. His batting average has dipped this year (.249 from .272), but he has produced from a power perspective with 16 home runs and 50 RBI.
The 27-year-old slugger is in the walk year of a six-year, $51.5 million pact. Any team who trades for him will be on the hook for a pro-rated portion of his $14.5 million salary for 2015.
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