The Pittsburgh Pirates have completed a blockbuster trade with the Tampa Bay Rays shortly before the MLB’s Non-Waiver Trade Deadline and secured the services of pitcher Chris Archer. In return, a total of five talents will move to Florida.
While the Pirates get Archer, the Rays Outfielders get Austin Meadows, the pitchers Tyler Glasnow and Taylor Hearns as well as two players who will be announced later.
Archer is still under team control until 2021 and can therefore be considered a bargain. The right-hander earns a total of $6.25 million this year and would only cost $27.5 million in total by 2021 with two club options.
Earlier, the Pirates had signed Closer Keone Kela of the Texas Rangers in a trade, further strengthening their bullpen.
Before the season, the team looked like a safe tanking candidate, with Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen in the lead, but an attack on the playoffs now seems realistic. The Pirates are only three games behind the second National League wildcard.
This article was published without previous view by the Major League Baseball.