Today was the deadline for teams to add players to their 25-man roster in order for them to be eligible for the playoffs. Obviously, guys on the DL don't count, so there's some leeway here, but basically, what you see is what you get. So, the question is, did the Pirates get it right?
Today the Pirates added Kyle McPherson to their bullpen and Alex Presley to their outfield mix. In corresponding moves, Chase d'Arnaud was optioned to High-A Bradenton and Jeff Clement was outrighted there after clearing waivers. This means Clement was removed from the 40-man roster and would have to be added again before being recalled. The Pirates now have two open spots on their 40-man roster. Sending them to A-ball allows them to be recalled as early as Monday (rather than wait the usual 10 days) since Bradenton's season ends on Sunday.
Early indications were that Jeff Locke would also join the team this weekend as a starter once rosters expanded on September 1. Presumably, others would follow: Justin Wilson, Eric Fryer, etc. So, given what we know, how did the Pirates do? I think the general consensus is OK. Adding Presley makes sense as Jose Tabata is a giant question mark and more still needs to be seen from Starling Marte to be sure he's worth a playoff roster spot. Two of those three will likely be on the roster if the Pirates secure a playoff spot.
The McPherson move is solid, but a little puzzling. McPherson had a scoreless appearance in his first taste of the big-leagues earlier this month. He's a guy that could pitch either out of the bullpen or as a starter down the stretch. He's got nice swing-and-miss stuff and eventually profiles as a middle-of-the-rotation starter. Frankly, I'd rather have seen that spot go to Justin Wilson. Presumably, the Pirates feel that they're OK with lefties in the pen now that they've claimed Hinsanori Takahashi off of waivers, but Wilson profiles as a potential late-inning guy with a hard fastball and electric movement. Command has been an issue in the past, but he's looked sharp this year and also had a nice scoreless stint in the majors, striking out the side against the Padres. The other obvious choice would have been Bryan Morris. Folks have been clamoring for his call-up for ages now and he's another hard-throwing bullpen guy who could fill the void left by Brad Lincoln. In other words, a guy who could go multiple innings when needed or come in to put out a fire. He's an excellent strikeout guy and would have been a nice weapon come playoff time.
The other move I would have considered is adding Jeff Locke to the rotation now so he'd be eligible for the playoffs. Teams don't always need a fifth starter come playoff time, but he could also be used out of the pen. He had a couple scoreless appearances out of the pen in the majors earlier this year. I would have advocated dumping Kevin Correia in favor of Locke. Locke's a better pitcher right now and has plenty more upside. He probably profiles as a number four starter in the future. I doubt it will happen, but I'm still holding out hope that the Pirates make this move after they take on the Brewers tonight.
Overall, the Pirates improved their potential playoff roster with their moves today. I think Clement and d'Arnaud were smart call-ups at the time, but neither one of those guys belongs on a playoff roster, even taking into account d'Arnaud's ability as a baserunner. Presley gives the Pirates another outfield option and McPherson could be a nice addition to the pen. I just wish more consideration would have been given to guys like Justin Wilson and Bryan Morris who may actually profile as relievers long-term and who have electric stuff. Correia has kept the team in games this year, but he's nearing the end of his usefulness, especially with so many better potential options still sitting at AAA. Regardless, the focus now needs to turn away from roster construction and on to getting ready for a dogfight for one of the few available playoff spots.
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