Scott Sauerbeck, a pitcher who was involved in one of the strangest trades in Pittsburgh Pirates history, has passed away. He was 53. John Perrotto of Pittsburgh Baseball Now reported that Sauerbeck suffered a fatal heart attack in Bradenton, Florida.
The Pirates family mourns the passing of Scott Sauerbeck.
Scott played for the Bucs from 1999-2003 and shares the club record for most games pitched by a LHP in one season.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/fS160TnfHV
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) February 20, 2025
Scott Sauerbeck Passes Away
The New York Mets drafted Sauerbeck, a left-handed reliever, in 1994 out of Miami University of Ohio. Before he pitched in a game for the Mets, the Pirates plucked him away in the 1998 Rule 5 Draft. Sauerbeck pitched for the Pirates (1999-2003), Boston Red Sox (2003), Cleveland Indians (2005-06), and Oakland Athletics (2006). He sat out all of 2004 with an injury.
Sauerbeck featured an effective “sweeper” curveball before anybody called it that. His best years were 1999 and 2002, when he posted ERAs of 2.00 and 2.30, respectively. For his career, he was 20-17 with a 5.1 WAR, 3.82 ERA, 5 saves, 1.519 WHIP, 118 ERA+, and 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings. He pitched in 471 games without making a start.
In 2002, Sauerbeck was part of a strong Pirates bullpen that included closer Mike Williams, who logged 46 saves, right-handed set-up men Brian Boehringer and Mike Lincoln, and left-handed Joe Beimel, a product of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Going into the 2003 season, Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield sensed an opportunity. In a rare buyer’s free agent market, he added outfielders Kenny Lofton, Reggie Sanders, and Matt Stairs on team-friendly contracts. Additionally, Littlefield acquired first baseman Randall Simon from the Detroit Tigers for two minor leaguers.
Unfortunately, the bullpen unravelled in 2003. By July 20, the Pirates were 43-52 and sat in fourth place. The annual tradition of trade deadline sell-offs ensued, resulting in Sauerbeck’s inclusion in one of the most bizarre trades in Pirates history.
Let’s Make a Deal. No, Let’s Not. Then Let’s Make Another Deal
On July 22, the Pirates traded Sauerbeck and pitcher Mike Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox for pitchers Brandon Lyon and Anastacio Martinez. However, as soon as Lyon got to Pittsburgh, there were concerns about his right elbow. Almost immediately, the Pirates placed Lyon on what we today call the injured list. Then, Littlefield approached Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein about amending the deal.
The amended deal amounted to the Pirates sending Lyon and Martinez back to Boston for Gonzalez on July 31. Three players were essentially traded for themselves while Sauerbeck remained with the Red Sox. That same day, the Pirates traded starter Jeff Suppan to Boston for minor league infielder Freddy Sanchez, who would later win the 2006 National League batting title as a Pirate. The teams announced the trade of Suppan, Lyon, and Martinez for Gonzalez and Sanchez. But nobody was fooling the Pittsburgh press. The Suppan-for-Sanchez deal had already been worked out. The two deals were lumped together as a face-saving gesture. It was also reported that the Red Sox would send some cash the Pirates’ way but there’s no record of that having occurred.
The Pirates had made a gift of Sauerbeck to the Red Sox. Sauerbeck’s salary was $1.567 million in 2003. He was projected to make $4 million in 2004. This was surely the impetus behind the giveaway.
A Taste of the Postseason
Sauerbeck’s only postseason experience came with the Red Sox in the 2003 American League Championship Series, which the rival New York Yankees won in seven games. In Game 2, he entered in the seventh inning with two men on, two outs, and the Yankees ahead, 4-2. He surrendered a two-run double to Jorge Posada and a walk before getting out of the inning. That was his only postseason appearance, leaving him with an odd postseason pitching line that includes a 0.00 ERA, a 6.00 WHIP, and a 12.03 FIP.
Main Photo: © Jon Durr-Imagn Images
