LAS VEGAS — Thursday marked the unofficial halfway point of the offseason as the Winter Meetings came to a close at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
The Pirates did not select or lose any players in the major-league phase of Thursday's Rule 5 Draft. They did add two players in the minor-league phase, outfielder Randolph Gassaway from the Orioles and right-hander Winston Nicacio from the Cardinals.
Gassaway, 23, hit a combined .268/.345/.385 with six home runs at Class A Frederick and short-season Aberdeen this year. Nicacio, 21, was a combined 4-3 with a 4.72 ERA in 22 games, including 10 starts, with Class A Peoria and short-season State College.
The four days of meetings were expected to be uneventful for the Pirates. However, they made a pair of moves that were significant, if not earthshaking.
Ivan Nova was traded to the White Sox for a minor league pitcher and $500,000 in international slot bonus money on Tuesday. The Pirates then agreed to terms on a contract with veteran right-hander Jordan Lyles as a possible replacement in the rotation.
Lyles' one-year, $2.05-million deal is expected to be finalized Friday once he passes a physical examination.
With pitchers and catchers set to report Feb. 13 — two months from today — in Bradenton, Fla., for the start of spring training, the Pirates have relatively the same team as they finished last season.
Outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall has been signed to a one-year, $2.5-million contract as a free agent. The plan is for him to play in right field until Gregory Polanco is recovered from left shoulder surgery, which could be anywhere between mid-April and mid-June.
Infielder Erik Gonzalez was acquired from the Indians in a five-player trade on Nov. 14 and is the leading candidate to be the opening-day shortstop.
Yet the Pirates believe if they entered the 2019 season with the roster as currently constituted, they would be able to contend in the rugged National League Central. The Pirates finished 82-79 this year for just their fourth winning season in 26 years, yet they finished fourth in the five-team division behind the Brewers, Cubs and Cardinals. St. Louis made a significant move last week when they traded for Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
So why do the Pirates feel they can contend for their first postseason berth since 2015? Clint Hurdle says starting pitching makes his team dangerous.
"To start with, a year of experience for our starting rotation," he said when asked what he saw as a path to contention.
Jameson Taillon leads a starting staff that could be among the better ones in the major leagues and should include Chris Archer, Trevor Williams and Joe Musgrove. Meanwhile, Lyles, Nick Kingham or Steven Brault are candidates for the last spot in the rotation, though the Pirates could opt to use an "opener," a relief pitcher who would pitch the first inning or two then be replaced by a starting-type pitcher.
Chisenhall and Gonzalez are in line to join the bottom of a lineup that figures to start with Adam Frazier at the top of the order and include Starling Marte, Corey Dickerson, Francisco Cervelli, Colin Moran and Josh Bell.
The Pirates also are confident that a bullpen anchored by Felipe Vazquez and including Keone Kela, Richard Rodriguez and Kyle Crick will be a strength.
"The edge we saw from our bullpen (in 2018) is real and significant. We were able to win games that we had leads in after the sixth inning," Hurdle said. "And, I think for me, as important as anything is we have position players that are going to take the field that all have room for improvement. Everyone has an opportunity for improvement. Cervelli and (Elias) Diaz will tell you that, Polanco, when he returns, Gonzalez, Chisenhall, Frazier, Bell, Moran and (Jung Ho) Kang that in itself is very exciting to be walking in the door, as well."