With less than an hour to go before the deadline, the Pittsburgh Pirates are pursuing Matt Moore, according to Ken Rosenthal.
Sources: #Pirates pursuing #Rays’ Moore, as are #SFGiants and possibly #Dodgers and others.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 1, 2016
This isn’t the first time Moore has been linked to the Pirates, as they’ve been pretty active on all of the Rays’ starting pitchers, including today. Obviously, other teams are in the hunt for Moore, and the Rays have a pretty high asking price, as you’d expect in this market.
The #SFGiants and #Rays continue their dialogue over Matt Moore. But at last check, Tampa was asking for two top prospects in return.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) August 1, 2016
Less than 2 hrs to deadline, #Rays still not hearing anything close to liking to move SP. Not even hearing acceptable offers yet for Pearce
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) August 1, 2016
Moore is a lefty who is under team control through the 2019 season at a reasonable rate. He’s owed the remainder of his $5 M salary this year, and has team options in 2017-19 for $7 M, $9 M, and $10 M, respectively. He has dealt with injury issues, and hasn’t lived up to his former top prospect status, with a 3.88 ERA in his career, and a 4.43 xFIP, including 4.08/4.67 this year. He also doesn’t fully fit the Pirates’ traditional model for pitchers, as he has a 36.4% ground ball rate, which is well on the low side.
Moore does have a lot of talent, and is only 27 years old. But he doesn’t seem like the type of pitcher you’d give up two top prospects for. Jon Heyman says that they aren’t too involved in Moore, and he seems more likely for the west coast.
matt moore battle could be on the west coast. giants and dodgers perhaps? not hearing pirates too involved there.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 1, 2016
Stephen Nesbit says that the Rays have been active scouting the Pirates’ farm system, and that makes sense, as the Pirates have scouted every Rays pitcher along the way. So we’ll see how this all plays out with half an hour to go.
Source says Rays have been scouting Pirates farm system at length this month. Two Rays scouts were at Altoona’s game last night in Trenton.
— Stephen J. Nesbitt (@stephenjnesbitt) August 1, 2016
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
What a bunch of baloney…we dump Liriano’s salary….and trade two of our best prospects to do so….and I am supposed to believe the Pirates were seriously pursuing Matt Moore? Yeah right…
Nova. Pirates now win the world series. Just what the team needed another pitcher that is having a terrible year. Sure, if they fix him they will let him walk. I bet they gave up better than they got in this trade. Neil is delusional if he thinks this in any way is a difference maker.
Ivan Nova? Enough said.
Pirates should be selling. Feliz combined with either Freese or Joyce could fetch a nice return in this market. Not sure why Pirates aren’t looking to sell pending free agents. Won’t effect chance to compete next year and will only have small effect on chances to compete this year.
Dilson Herrera will now haunt us about 18 games a season!
Take it for what it’s worth, but per Perrotto:
John Perrotto @JPerrotto 44m
Told #Rays holding out for Austin Meadows in any deal with #Pirates for LHP Matt Moore.
They SHOULD hold out for Meadows, but they should also expect to not get him.
Can’t wait hopefully Magic Dust will improve him and we get years of control and NH will still be a genius and CH will say something profound and we can move on into the future. Can’t wait!
I am happy if we don’t sell of prospects in this current trade environment. Too rich for my blood.