MILWAUKEE -- After weeks of speculation and rumors, the Major League Baseball trade deadline is just hours away, with all deals needing to be filed to the league's office by 4 p.m. Eastern Monday.
While the Pirates are clearly marketed as sellers and general manager Ben Cherington has been active in conversations, so far, they have only dealt one player: Jarrod Dyson to the White Sox Friday.
Even though players are trying not to focus on it, and Trevor Williams' clubhouse jokes have helped lighten the mood a bit, it is impossible for the group to ignore that this day may bring the most significant shake up to the Pirates' roster in years.
"Everybody is paying attention," Adam Frazier said Sunday. "Not just for our team but around the league. Some lives can be uprooted, move around the country. Never know what’s going to happen."
Cherington has said that he will not force deals, but has given every indication that everyone is on the table at the deadline.
“We have to be disciplined and patient and let those opportunities come to us,” Cherington said during his radio show on 93.7 The Fan Sunday. “Making sure that we’re hitting on the ones we really think will add long-term value."
The majority of the team, including Josh Bell, Joe Musgrove, Trevor Williams, Richard Rodriguez and Adam Frazier, have multiple years of control remaining, meaning Cherington does not have to make a deal if he does not feel like he's getting a good return. And since many of those players have struggled throughout most of the 2020 season, it may be hard to get the prospects necessary to pull the trigger, even if the seller's market is more active than some pundits predicted.
If there are two players that Cherington may have to settle for the best offer he gets, they are pitchers Keone Kela and Derek Holland. Both are on expiring contracts, and while neither is expected to fetch a high return, getting something back is better than letting them walk and receive nothing.
Kela came into 2020 poised to establish himself as one of the game's best closers, but he missed all of summer camp and the first part of the season with COVID-19, and is currently on the injured list for right forearm inflammation. There is no set date for when he could return.
Holland has showed some good signs at points throughout the season, especially against left-handed hitters, but has gone 1-2 with a 7.62 ERA over six outings, allowing 10 home runs.
Holland is one of the few veteran members on the pitching staff, and is trying to block out the outside noise.
"I’m worried about being here with my teammates, being here to help these guys, guide them, help them," Holland said Friday. "I’m trying to be somebody that’s going to help these guys along the road. Again, my focus is here. I can’t worry about could I be traded or anything like that because then I’m definitely not going to be pitching the way I should be pitching."
Most of this group has been around for a few years now and has seen the club operate as both a buyer -- like when they acquired Kela and Chris Archer in 2018 -- and as a seller, like in 2019.
They know the process. That doesn't mean they should know what to expect Monday.
"We’ve all been around it enough," Brault said Sunday. "It’s still a weird experience, but we’re kind of used to it. We’ll see what happens in the next 24 hours. Hopefully we’ll all be Pirates two days from now."
You can follow along for all MLB trade deadline coverage Monday in a special live file.
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