5 Realistic Pirates Trade Targets to Help Provide Spark (+)

The calendar now reads July, the unofficial start of trade season. This year’s trade deadline is July 30, so the Pittsburgh Pirates and the other 29 teams around the league are working the phones gathering intel about executing deals.

For Ben Cherington his club currently sits at 40-43. The Pirates are in third place in the National League Central and trail the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers by 9.5 games. Though they need to make up some serious ground to push for their first division title on over 30 years, the Pirates are only three games back in the Wild Card race.

Recently, owner Bob Nutting expressed a willingness to add to the club in hopes of returning to the postseason for the first time since 2015. Cherington, too, said the club will look for opportunities to improve the major-league roster.