Pirates Acquire LHP Bailey Falter From Phillies for INF Rodolfo Castro

The deadline dealing continues for Ben Cherington and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates traded infielder Rodolfo Castro to the Philadelphia Phillies for left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter.

Falter, 26, has spent parts of three seasons at the major league level with the Phillies from 2021-23.

In 50 appearances (24 starts) in Philadelphia, Falter posted an 8-12 with a 4.56 ERA, a 1.266 WHIP and 136 strikeouts in 158.0 innings.

Falter has faltered this season with the Phillies in his eight appearances (seven starts). The southpaw posted an 0-7 record with a 5.13 ERA/4.74 FIP on the year.

In 11 starts with the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate on the season, Falter has gone 2-1 with a 4.21 ERA to go along with 35 strikeouts and 22 walks and 45 hits allowed across 47.0 innings.

Last season with the Phillies, Falter went 6-4 with a 3.86 ERA/4.64 FIP in 20 appearances (16 starts).

Falter was a fifth-round draft pick of the Phillies in the 2015 MLB Draft out of high school in California.

As Falter has struggled in the big leagues this season, so did Castro. In 78 games with Pittsburgh in 2023, the 24-year-old Castro hit just .228 with a .672 OPS. The switch-hitter recorded seven doubles, six home runs and 22 RBIs.

Castro had a solid showing during the 2022 season, a year in which he posted a .725 OPS (103 wRC+) and hit 11 home runs in 78 games.

With a flux of young middle infielders on the 40-man roster, the Pirates could afford to deal from an area of strength.

Currently on the active roster, the Pirates have infielders Nick Gonzales, Alika Williams and Liover Peguero with Ke’Bryan Hayes expected to come off the injured list in the next day or two.