The Pirates and Mets completed a trade Wednesday afternoon, but it wasn't the transaction many have been awaiting.
The Mets — who have reportedly shown interest in acquiring Josh Harrison — traded left-handed reliever Josh Smoker to the Pirates in exchange for left-handed reliever Daniel Zamora and cash considerations.
Smoker, 29, had a 5.11 ERA and 1.70 WHIP with 68 strikeouts and 32 walks in 56 1/3 innings out of the Mets' bullpen last season. He made the club's opening day roster but was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on May 9. He was then recalled by New York on May 23 before being placed on the disabled list from June 14 to July 20 with a left shoulder strain. Following his return, he recorded a 2.63 ERA in 32 games, including two earned runs over his final 18 2/3 innings (0.96 ERA).
Zamora, a 40th-round draft pick in 2015, spent most of last season at High-A Bradenton, where he had a 1.86 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 37 relief appearances. The 24-year-old then pitched three scoreless innings for Double-A Altoona after being promoted on Aug. 30.
The Pirates were in need of an additional left-handed bullpen option after learning last week that Nik Turley was suspended 80 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Turley, 28, was claimed off waivers from the Twins in November.
Smoker, Jack Leathersich and Felipe Rivero are the only left-handed relievers on the club's 40-man roster. However, starting pitcher Steven Brault, the Pirates' Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2017, is a candidate to begin the season in the bullpen.
The Pirates do have a number of right-handed options for the bullpen, though, including George Kontos, Daniel Hudson, Edgar Santana, Dovydas Neverauskas, Kyle Crick, Michael Feliz and A.J. Schugel. Additionally, Neal Huntington told reporters last month that Tyler Glasnow could also serve an apprenticeship in the bullpen to start the season.
Smoker, a first-round draft pick of the Nationals in 2007, averaged 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings last season, but he also allowed 10.2 hits and 5.1 walks per nine. He began his professional career as a starting pitcher until he was moved into the bullpen once struggling at Class A Hagerstown in 2010.
The Nationals released Smoker in 2013 after he underwent surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum. He had yet to reach High-A at the time of his release. Smoker then played independent ball for the Rockford Aviators of the Frontier League in 2014 before signing with the Mets in 2015.
Smoker started the 2016 season at Triple-A Las Vegas, where he averaged 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He was recalled by the Mets in August and recorded a 4.70 ERA in 15 1/3 innings to finish the season.
The Mets designated Smoker for assignment last week after the club re-signed shortstop Jose Reyes.
The Pirates have yet to spend a dollar in free agency, despite the market being deep with relief options. Instead, they claimed three relievers on waivers. Also, the club acquired Crick in the three-player trade that sent Andrew McCutchen to the Giants and Feliz was added in the Gerrit Cole trade.
In 29 1/3 innings at Triple-A Sacramento in 2017, Crick had a 2.76 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with 12 strikeouts per nine innings. He made his major league debut in June, allowing 1.20 WHIP in 32 1/3 innings for the Giants in 2017 with 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings.
Feliz, 24, struggled in 2017 with a 5.63 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 46 appearances in 2017, but he had a breakout year the season prior with a 1.18 WHIP and 95 strikeouts to 22 walks in 65 innings.