The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired OF Corey Dickerson from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for RHP Daniel Hudson and INF Tristan Gray, plus $1 million in cash.
For the Pirates, they won\’t be competitive in 2018 after trading CF Andrew McCutchen and RHP Gerrit Cole in the offseason. But, if top prospect Austin Meadows isn\’t ready, they\’ll need a LF. Dickerson is that guy, and if Meadows is ready, he could be traded at the trade deadline. Starling Marte is in center with Gregory Polanco in right.
Dickerson, 28, had a .282 batting average, 27 homers and 62 RBIs in 629 Plate Appearances for the Rays in 2017. In his MLB career for the Rays and Colorado Rockies, Dickerson has a batting average of .280, with 90 homers and 256 RBIs in 2102 Plate Appearances.
For the Rays, they are in their youth movement, and that meant DFA\’ing their all-star outfielder, I guess they\’d be all for it. They get a middle inning pitcher and a young prospect for him.
Hudson, 30, had a 4.38 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 66 strikeouts in 61.2 innings in 2017. In his MLB career for the Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago White Sox, Hudson has an ERA of 3.98, with a 1.27 WHIP and 501 strikeouts in 573.2 innings.
Gray, 21, played in his first professional season in 2017, with a batting average of .269 with seven homers, 37 RBIs and five stolen bases in 234 Plate Appearances.
I think the Pirates win this deal. They get a reigning all-star for far less than they\’d get for most other 2017 all-stars. It\’s hard to see this trade hurt them.
CarterHud 