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Pirates rumors: What Pittsburgh ownership is mandating ahead of MLB trade deadline appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have often been on the selling end of things at the MLB Trade Deadline. This year, the Pirates may be buying instead of selling.
Now, it is coming out what the mandate is from ownership regarding the trade deadline, according to Bob Nightengale.
“They need bullpen help as much as any contender out there. [They] could use another starter, too. So, I think they’re going to listen to offers Oneil Cruz to see if they can get the, you know, the other pieces. They’re certainly trying to go for this thing. They haven’t been in the playoffs since 2015. Second-longest drought to the Angels, what I think that was 14. See what happens,” Nightengale said. “But yeah, they’re gonna be very aggressive. And I think the mandate from ownership is we want to be in the playoffs. Do what it takes, but we’re not gonna, you know, jump up that payroll anytime soon big time. So Oneil Cruz would be interesting.”
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The Angels have not made the playoffs since 2014, giving them a streak of 11 seasons without making the playoffs. The Pirates last went to the playoffs in 2015, losing in the NL Wild Card game to the Chicago Cubs. Even more, the Pirates have advanced in a round of the playoffs just once since winning the World Series in 1959. That was in 2013 when they won the NL Wild Card game over the Cincinnati Reds. They have not won a full series since defeating the Baltimore Orioles in 1979.
Cruz has not played since June 6 due to a hand injury. He is expected to return to play in August. Before going down with an injury, he was playing well. He was hitting .264 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs.
Meanwhile, the Pirates are currently 52-49 on the year, which places them tied for third in the NL Central, and 10.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the division. Still, they are tied for the final wild card spot in the National League with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins. They open a three-game series with the New York Yankees on Monday.
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