The long suffering Pittsburgh Pirates, who have not finished a season with a winning record since 1992, seem all but assured to end that streak this season. Entering today’s game they are 78-56 and tied with the St. Louis Cardinals for first in the NL Central. On top of ending their streak of losing seasons, barring an unexpected and unprecedented collapse the Pirates will also qualify for the playoffs. Now heading into the second game of a crucial series with the Cards, the team has gone all-in.
The Pirates have acquired first baseman and former AL MVP Justin Morneau from the Minnesota Twins. In exchange the Twins will outfielder Alex Presley.
Morneau, 32, hit .259/.315/.426 (102 OPS+) with 17 home runs in 127 games for Minnesota before the trade. He has been especially hot in August hitting 9 of his 17 home runs this month. Morneau is owed $2.5 million for the remainder of the season, and is scheduled to become a free agent after the World Series.
Gaby Sanchez and Garrett Jones have been platooning at first base for the Pirates this season, but Morneau’s left handed bat should provide an upgrade to their lineup, while the lefty hitting Jones is also capable of helping out in the outfield if they want to get both Jones and Morneau in the lineup.
The 28 year old Presley, has hit .264/.274/.389 (86 OPS+) in 29 games for the Pirates this season. He is hitting .298/.376/.427 in 89 games at Triple-A Indianapolis. Over his career, which includes parts of four seasons with the Pirates, he’s hit .261/.299/.419 (98 OPS+). It is expected that Presley will find an immediate role in the Minnesota Outfield this season.
The August 31st deal means that the Pirates get Morneau just in time for him to be playoff eligible.
