Power-hitting outfielder Edward Olivares of the Pittsburgh Pirates has elected minor league free agency. He was outrighted off the Pirates’ 40-man roster and became eligible at the end of the regular season to elect minor league free agency due to having reached the required number of career outrights.
Some Pirates news.
After Ryder Ryan and Billy McKinney became free agents on Tuesday, today we learn that Edward Olivares, Justin Bruihl and Jake Woodford became free agents yesterday.
That just leaves Domingo German… https://t.co/IP8oRqaZ5E
— John Dreker (@JohnDreker) October 3, 2024
Pirates Slugging Outfielder Edward Olivares Elects Free Agency
Olivares, who will turn 29 during spring training, is likely to draw some interest. The Pirates acquired him in a trade last December from the Kansas City Royals for minor league infielder Deivis Nadal. The right-handed hitter got off to a good start and looked like he could be a steal for Pittsburgh. In his first nine games, seven of which the Pirates won, he was 11-for-32 with three home runs and seven RBI.
His first at-bat with the Pirates resulted in a home run on Opening Day against the Miami Marlins. Olivares later came through with two solo homers against the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park on April 9. He delivered three consecutive two-hit games from April 7-11. He looked like a steal.
However, in his next 46 games, he hit just .197/.272/.261, 2 HR, and 16 RBI. This included a grand slam at home against the Los Angeles Angels on May 6, the Pirates’ only runs in a 4-1 victory.
Olivares to Triple-A
Unfortunately, Olivares otherwise provided very few highlights during this stretch. The Pirates optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis on July 9. Olivares didn’t exactly light up Triple-A pitching, but he wasn’t an automatic out either, hitting .263/.343/.379, 3 HR, and 12 RBI at Indy. However, somewhat uncharacteristically, the Pirates never turned to him again to help their anemic offense, despite showing the patience of a saint with other struggling hitters. It soon became evident that the Pirates didn’t see Olivares in their future. They designated him for assignment on August 8 to make room for journeyman pitcher Ben Heller on the 40-man roster. When Olivares went unclaimed on waivers, he was assigned back to Indianapolis. First-time eligible for arbitration in 2025, he was a clear non-tender candidate. Taking all of this into consideration in electing free agency, Olivares probably saw no future with Pittsburgh.
Yet Olivares is not far removed from a 2023 season when he hit .263/.317/.452, 12 HR, and 36 RBI. This was after he registered a career-high .286 batting average in 2022. Over 2022 and 2023 for Kansas City, he hit 16 homers in 160 games, nearly the equivalent of a full season. He plays all three outfield positions but is not strong defensively. Even so, given what he’s shown with the bat in his final two years at Kansas City, he should find an opportunity for 2025. It may come from a team looking for a right-handed bench bat. Seeing him as a major league platoon player in the future isn’t out of the question, either.
The Last Word
Pirates pitchers Jake Woodford and Justin Bruihl similarly elected minor league free agency. Woodford, a right-hander, and Bruihl, a left-hander, had brief trials with the Pirates in 2024. Neither man pitched well enough to distinguish himself. Woodford also pitched for the Chicago White Sox. Both 27-year-olds will draw interest from other teams simply by being living, breathing pitchers.
