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Pirates rumors: Pittsburgh dangling draft pick in early trade deadline discussions
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- Pirates rumors: Pittsburgh dangling draft pick in early trade deadline discussions
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The Pittsburgh Pirates will have the fifth and 34th overall picks in the MLB Draft and might use them at the trade deadline to improve. Notably, the Pirates are looking to make a trade and could utilize that draft pick to do so, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
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"The most likely trades to happen in the next few weeks are ones that involve competitive-balance draft picks. Teams that acquire them would gain not only an additional selection in the upcoming amateur draft, but also extra bonus pool money. Competitive-balance picks are the only ones that can be traded. The Pittsburgh Pirates hold one of them, No. 34 overall. Rival clubs say they are open to trading it," Rosenthal wrote.
The Pirates are currently 38-37 and trail the Milwaukee Brewers by 8 1/2 games for first in the NL Central. However, they are also one game behind the final wild card spot in the NL. The Pirates have thrived against divisional rivals, putting them in a good spot. Usually, they are sellers at the trade deadline, but their improvement has changed the landscape in Pittsburgh.
As a result, they can offer picks and prospects to improve their chances. The Pirates have thrived on offense this season, ranking third in batting average and on-base percentage. Additionally, they are fifth in runs, 12th in home runs, and 10th in slugging percentage. But their team ERA is 18th, and they have not been able to consistently keep runners off the base paths. This could prompt them to use one of their picks to acquire a strong arm, either for the rotation or out of the bullpen.
Related: Braves flip right-hander for veteran catcher in intriguing Pirates trade
