Pirates Add Derrick Lee and Ryan Ludwick as Deadline Passes

by Matt Shetler

Amid all of the speculation of what Pittsburgh Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington would do to improve the Bucs woeful offense at the trade deadline, the Pirates ended up quite nicely as Sunday’s trade deadline came and went.

Huntington pulled the strings on a pair of deals that netted a pair of right-handed sluggers in Derrick Lee and Ryan Ludwick. The key word in that statement is right-handed, as the Bucs have lacked right-handed punch practically all season long.

Late Saturday night, Huntington acquired Lee from the Orioles in exchange for minor league infielder Aaron Baker. Lee, who got off to a slow start has started coming into his own after the all-star break. The veteran first baseman has his average up to .246, homering 12 times, driving in 41 runs. Six of Lee’s 12 homers have come after the all-star break. In Lee, the Bucs are getting a middle of the order bat that’s trending upward. He has posted an OPS over .800 during the month of July and has feasted on national League pitching during his career.

In Ludwick, the Pirates fill their need for a productive corner outfielder. He comes to Pittsburgh only hitting .238 with 11 home runs, but those numbers are a little down for having to call Petco Park as a home. One nice number though is Ludwick’s ability to drive in runs. His 64 RBI before the trade ties him with Neil walker for the team lead.

Not only are both acquisitions right-handed, but both are professional hitters, something the Bucs desperately need. Both men have also performed down the stretch for playoff teams before, a trait that could come in very handy.

It also makes the Bucs lineup much deeper top to bottom. Andrew McCutchen and Walker may not have to hit cleanup any longer. If he chooses to, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle could even offer Pedro Alvarez some protection in the lineup for a change. Overall, the moves make the Pirates a better team at very little cost. Another bright spot of the deals is that once the Bucs begin to get healthy, Hurdle shouldn’t have to give regular at bats to Garrett Jones or Lyle Overbay any longer.

To make room for Lee on the 40-man roster, the Pirates moved catcher Ryan Doumit to the 60-day disabled list. That was purely a paper move. Because he has been sidelined for more than 60 games, Doumit can come off the DL whenever he is ready. This move will not push back his timetable. A corresponding move will be needed to make room for Ludwick on the 40-man as well.

Both new acquisitions are expected to make their Pirates debuts either Monday or Tuesday at PNC park against the Chicago Cubs.