With the All-Star break here, the Pirates are running out of time to convince their general manger to keep this roster intact. Despite winning nine of their last 10, they're still 8 1/2 games out of first place in the Central Division and must jump six teams in the Wild Card race.
Only 10 games remain until the trade deadline and although there's time to gain ground, Neal Huntington will likely trade expiring contracts or veterans who don't fit into his plans for 2019. He'd prefer to give playing time to young players, as he tries to build around a core that includes Jameson Taillon, Joe Musgrove, Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, Elias Diaz and Austin Meadows.
Rather than turning to young players such as Kevin Kramer or Mitch Keller, the Pirates will likely give one final tryout to former prospects such as Jose Osuna and Max Moroff.
Jordy Mercer, one of the Pirates' longest-tenured players, is a free agent at season's end and is most likely to be dealt since his replacement is deemed major-league ready. Kevin Newman, a 24-year-old infielder drafted in the first round in 2015, is batting .306 with a .752 OPS for Indianapolis. Newman hasn't gone more than three games without a hit this season.
A capable defender, Newman has also stolen 22 bases while striking out 38 times to 23 walks in 320 at-bats. He's ranked the organization's fourth-best position player prospect by MLB.com and has now played 120 games in Triple-A. With Cole Tucker in Double-A, this could be the time for the Pirates to determine if Newman is their shortstop of the future.
He can play both middle infield positions and could platoon at both spots during the final two months of the season if Mercer is dealt. Also, trading Mercer could give Moroff more playing time. It's time for the Pirates to determine whether or not he fits in their plans for 2019 since he's out of minor-league options following this season.
Moroff can play three infield positions and started eight games in the outfield during his last stint at Triple-A.
Josh Harrison, who has club options at $10.5 million and $11 million for 2019 and 2012, respectively, can be bought out of his contract for $1 million at the end of the season. Contenders could also be interested in adding him at the deadline because of his versatility and leadership.
Harrison's departure could create an opportunity for Adam Frazier or Kramer. A second-round pick in 2015, Kramer has a .818 OPS with 11 home runs and 40 RBIs for Triple-A Indianapolis, but he's in his first season there and has struck out 89 times in 308 at-bats. He was a shortstop in college but moved to second base after suffering a shoulder injury.
He's been used at second base, shortstop and third base this season. Frazier, meanwhile, is slashing just .200/.255/.278 in 24 games since returning to Triple-A last month. A candidate to be the Pirates' starting left fielder before Corey Dickerson came over from Tampa Bay, Frazier had a .678 OPS in 58 games before his demotion.
"We’ve got a handful of guys who are on the Indy club who are doing an nice job — Kramer, Newman, Jordan Luplow," Huntington said. "The pitching has more taking steps from Double-A to Triple-A. The position player group is more in their first or second full season in Triple-A."
Francisco Cervelli is back on the disabled list with reoccurring post-concussion symptoms, and there's reason to wonder how many more games he can play behind home plate, both this season and in his career. Stallings was recalled as his replacement and like Diaz, has experience working with young pitchers on the staff such as Taillon and Nick Kingham.
If Cervelli is traded or doesn't return, Stallings will serve as Diaz's backup, while Luplow has captured the front office's attention after batting .422 in his final 22 games with the Indians. Luplow hit two solo home runs in Game 2 of a doubleheader Saturday and has flashed above-average arm strength. Osuna, who is also out of minor-league options after this season, could be recalled to serve as a backup at first and third base if Freese is dealt.
Meanwhile, Austin Meadows, sent back to Triple-A Sunday morning, would likely take over as the starting left fielder if Dickerson is dealt.
"There is an interesting group, but we do have a really interesting group of players at the major league level who are in their mid-20s, who are in their first and second year," Huntington said. "Those are the guys we’re going to evaluate. How do we help them get better, and how do we build around those guys?"
The Pirates won't be in need of starting pitching. Taillon, Musgrove, Trevor Williams and Nick Kingham will remain in the rotation with Chad Kuhl on the disabled list. Clay Holmes would likely take a spot in the rotation if Nova is traded. There's not much depth beyond that.
Keller has allowed 13 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings since being promoted to Triple-A. Tyler Eppler, Alex McRae, Brandon Waddell and JT Brubaker are also in Indy's rotation.
Neither Eppler nor McRae have pitched in the major leagues, while Waddell and Brubaker were recently promoted from Double-A. The only bullpen options in Indy are Dovydas Neverauskas, Josh Smoker, Tanner Anderson, Casey Sadler and Bo Schultz, who was placed on the disabled list with a forearm strain.
The Pirates are likely to make several midseason promotions from Double-A Altoona to Triple-A, with Tucker, Ke'Bryan Hayes, Will Craig and Bryan Reynolds among those who could move up. But none of those players will get an opportunity in the major leagues over the final two months. Neither will Jason Martin, the outfielder acquired from the Astros in the Gerrit Cole trade.
If the club sells, there won't be an infusion of prospects onto the 25-man roster. Instead, players such as Moroff, Osuna and Frazier are likely to get a long look before Huntington enters a pivotal offseason.
INDIANAPOLIS (AAA)
• Keller, the Pirates' top prospect, started the Futures Game for the U.S. team Sunday and pitched a perfect first inning. Keller struck out White Sox prospect Luis Basabe and got a pair of fly outs. He threw nine of his 14 pitches for strikes
• Newman went 2 for 3 with two doubles, one RBI, one run, one walk and one stolen base Saturday against Toledo. He is batting .327 with a .373 OBP and .818 OPS since June 13. His 33 hits in that span are tied for sixth-most in the International League.
• Pablo Reyes, a 24-year-old utility man, homered in three consecutive games Thursday through Saturday, driving in eight runs in that span. Reyes is batting .283 with a .731 OPS in 75 games with Indy this season.
• Osuna is batting .341 with four homers, 21 doubles, 34 RBIs and a .924 OPS in 48 games. He has batted .372 with eight doubles, 15 RBIs and 10 runs in his past 21 games. Also, Osuna has hit safely in six straight and 40 of his 47 starts.
ALTOONA (AA)
• Hayes, a first-round pick in 2015, also started the Futures Game, batting ninth and playing third base for the U.S. team. Hayes drew a 10-pitch walk and hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning to give the U.S. a 5-3 lead over the World. Hayes, 21, is batting .293 with a .814 OPS and 21 doubles in 74 games with the Curve.
That's Charlie Hayes' son mashing baseballs in Washington. #FuturesGame (@KeBryanHayes) pic.twitter.com/TIiccQ7dpS
— Pirates (@Pirates) July 15, 2018
• Craig clinched a win for the Eastern League in the Double-A All-Star Game. Craig, a first-round pick in 2016, competed in a hitting challenge against Phillies prospect Zach Green. With the score tied 4-4 after nine innings, each manager — Altoona's Michael Ryan managed the Eastern League — selected one hitter, who then had 2 minutes to take as many swings as possible. Each outcome was rewarded with a point total.
Craig, 23, won the competition to give the Eastern League a win. The right-handed hitter has 13 home runs and 65 RBIs in 84 games for the Curve this season.
• Left-handed pitcher Taylor Hearn, who started the All-Star Game, pitched one scoreless inning with one strikeout and a walk. Hearn has a 3.35 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 94 strikeouts to 33 walks in 16 starts for the Curve.
BRADENTON (High-A)
• Outfielder Jared Oliva has 12 hits in his past 10 games, raising his season slash line to .285/.370/.466. A seventh-round pick last summer, Oliva has nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 80 games for the Marauders this season.
• Third baseman Hunter Owen, 24, hit a grand slam in a 9-2 victory over Daytona Friday night. Owen is batting .255/.316/.768 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs in 74 games after posting an .863 OPS with the West Virginia Power last season.
• Right-handed pitcher Luis Escobar, the Pirates' representative in the Futures Game last summer, allowed one run on five hits with six strikeouts over seven innings Thursday against Lakeland. Escobar, 22, has a 1.23 WHIP and 85 strikeouts to 38 walks in 92 2/3 innings this season. He struck out 200 for the Power last season; however, he also walked 168 in 131 2/3 innings.
WEST VIRGINIA (Low A)
• Shortstop Oneil Cruz hast batted just .205 over his past 10 games; however, the 19-year-old is still batting .294 with a .844 OPS, 11 home runs and 53 RBIs in 83 games for the Power this season.
• Outfielder Calvin Mitchell continues to struggle since returning from the disabled list. Mitchell, a second-round draft pick last summer, batted .179 over his past 10 games. The 19-year-old is batting .290 with a .890 OPS, eight home runs and 42 RBIs in 75 games.
• Outfielder Lolo Sanchez, ranked the Pirates' 10th-best prospect by Baseball America, had nine hits over his past 10 games and is batting .235 with a .642 OPS. The 19-year-old has 13 doubles and 18 stolen bases in 72 games.
OTHERS
• Outfielder Travis Swaggerty, the Pirates' first-round pick last month, is batting .286 with a .862 OPS after he hit another solo home run Wednesday at Hudson Valley. Swaggerty has hit safely in eight of his past 10 games.
• Starting pitcher Shane Baz, a first-round pick last summer, struck out six with one walk over five innings Thursday for short-season Bristol. Baz, 19, has a 1.42 WHIP and 26 strikeouts to 11 walks in 24 innings for the Pirates.
• Noe Toribio, an 18-year-old starting pitcher from the Dominican Republic, pitched six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts for the GCL Pirates Thursday. Toribio pitched in the Dominican Summer League last year, posting a 1.57 WHIP in 56 2/3 innings. Toribio, listed at 6-foot-2, reportedly has a fastball in the mid-90s, and leads the GCL Pirates in innings and strikeouts.