DENVER — In search of a solution to some of the Pirates' defensive struggles in the infield, Neal Huntington acquired shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria from the Rays Monday in exchange for minor-league pitcher Matt Seelinger.
Hechavarria, 29, batted just .258/.289/.332 with 26 RBIs in 61 games before he was designated for assignment last week; however, he was acquired for his prowess on defense. The Pirates rank 25th in defensive runs saved and have committed the third-most errors in the NL this season. It’s unclear what Hechavarria's exact role will be, but Hurdle told reporters at Coors Field the plan is for Hechavarria to play both second base and shortstop.
The Pirates will have to make room on the roster for Hechavarria when he joins the club in Denver Tuesday.
"I just know he’s one of the best defenders I’ve seen," Jordy Mercer said. "I think that speaks for itself. He’s incredibly athletic, really good with the glove and was just fun to watch. … I remember playing against him even in the big leagues that if you hit it anywhere close you’re probably going to be out. That’s one thing I’ve always remembered about him."
Hechavarria has never been much of an offensive threat — he hasn't driven in more than 40 runs since 2015 and his career-high OPS is .695, which he posted last season — but he was credited with saving 4 runs on defense for the Rays this season, while his 9 defensive runs saved with the Marlins in 2015 ranked third among National League shortstops.
Mercer has posted negative marks in defensive runs saved in four consecutive seasons, registering negative-12 in 98 games this season. Meanwhile, Josh Harrison's had a down year defensively, ranking 18th in defensive runs saved among second baseman in the majors with at least 500 innings. Adam Frazier and Sean Rodriguez — the Pirates' primary backup middle infielders — have also struggled.
The issue is range, Hurdle said. Although their infield has capable defenders — even Colin Moran is reliable when he fields the ball cleanly — they've had trouble getting to balls. Their ultimate zone rating, which puts a run value to defense by quantifying how many runs a player saved or gave up, ranks 24th in the majors, and they've registered negative-47 runs saved. To compare, the Brewers lead the majors with 84 runs saved.
"Sometimes you just are what you are," Hurdle said. "You try and position yourselves accordingly. Everybody has X amount of range, so you’re only going to get to so many balls within your range spectrum. Balls outside that you can’t get to because you’re not built to get to them. ... We are continuing to look as well, and one of the acquisition talents this guy’s got is athleticism and range."
The Pirates have taken a closer look at infield shifts, as well as pitch sequences, though it's not ideal to implement new shifting tactics at this point in the season. The Rays also sent cash to the Pirates, so Huntington acquired an athletic, defensive upgrade for a former 28th-round draft pick and likely no financial commitment. Hechavarria was paid $5.9 million this season and will be a free agent this winter.
Also, Hechavarria's underlying offensive numbers are encouraging, including a career-best ground ball to fly ball ratio, and his .290 batting average on balls in play indicates he's likely the victim of bad luck. The Pirates' scouts have followed Hechavarria closely in recent weeks, delivering glowing reports about him making hard contact at the plate more than even the advanced metrics have shown.
Hechavarria also has two former teammates in the Pirates' clubhouse: Corey Dickerson and Chris Archer. "One of the top three gloves I’ve ever witnessed playing behind," Dickerson said of Hechavarria. His offensive production is actually similar to Mercer, including just a three-point difference in OPS+ last season. Hurdle did not reveal how the Pirates will utilize their new acquisition, but it could mark the end of Rodriguez's tenure with the Pirates.
Rodriguez is batting .163 with 58 strikeouts in 147 at-bats this season, and he's just one for his last 20 with 11 strikeouts. He's currently the Pirates' primary backup shortstop and has played second, first, third and all three outfield positions. They're likely to keep Jordan Luplow on the roster because of his prowess against left-handed pitchers and arm strength in both corner outfield spots.
Plus, Frazier is unlikely to go back to Triple-A. He went 2 for 4 with a home run Sunday and is now 13 for 21 with six RBIs in 10 games since being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on July 25. Rodriguez was in the visitors’ clubhouse briefly Monday afternoon before chatting with a few teammates and leaving to go hit in the cage.
Hechavarría may not be relegated to the bench. Harrison's been playing through a hamstring injury. Although Mercer's unlikely to lose his job, he's had issues defensively and would probably benefit from more time off. He's hit safely in 11 of his last 13 games and has reached safely in 18 straight, batting .352 in that span. There's also no guarantee he'll be on the roster next month.
Mercer would be an attractive trade chip if the Pirates fall out of contention in August. He's a free agent this winter, and the Pirates would likely want to give playing time to Kevin Newman, a first-round pick in 2015. Newman is batting .298 with 27 stolen bases in his first full season with Triple-A Indianapolis. If Mercer stays, Hechavarria would provide insurance in the event of a long-term injury to either middle infielder.
"The defensive stability and athleticism, and we believe we’re in a spot to add him to our club now," Hurdle said of what attracted the Pirates to Hechavarria. "We can get him on both sides of the diamond a little bit more, not exclusively at shortstop. Very good feedback from our scouts following him, actually got a couple guys here that know him really well. He'll be a good addition all the way around. Gives us another good player to add. I also think it frees up a couple guys in our infield and know that we’ve got really solid support behind him."
Seelinger had a 1.26 WHIP in 32 2/3 innings as a reliever for Low-A West Virginia this season. He's also averaged 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings, although he's also allowed six home runs and was not ranked among their top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline.