Dealing with distraction of trade deadline rumors 'not an easy time' for last-place Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are well aware of the type of talk that surrounds a team sitting in last place in the National League Central in late July, knowing they will be sellers at the MLB trade deadline.

The difference this year is the trade chips aren’t limited to just the players on expiring contracts. There have been reports that everyone except for two-time All-Star right-hander Paul Skenes is available — and that includes several players locked into long-term contracts and others who remain under club control beyond this season.

With that hanging over their heads and veteran second baseman/outfielder Adam Frazier traded to the Kansas City Royals the day after the All-Star Game, the Pirates started the second half in sobering fashion by getting swept by the American League-worst Chicago White Sox this past weekend at PNC Park.

“It was kind of weird how it happened on All-Star break,” Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes said of the Frazier trade. “Since I’ve been up (in the big leagues), I don’t think anyone’s been traded that soon going into the trade deadline. You never know. Things like that happen. It’s our job to keep going. Who we have in the clubhouse when we step out there between the lines, we’ve just got to go to battle with that.”

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington recognizes that rumors and speculation are going to run rampant until July 31, as teams determine which direction to take their organization.

“This time of year, you’re going to have a lot of that,” Cherington said Sunday on his weekly radio show on 93.7 FM. “Players themselves and, to some extent, myself and others with the team have to kind of shut that out as much as possible and just focus on, what do we need to do to make the best decisions for the Pirates?”

The Pirates believe it’s necessary for the front office and coaching staff to keep an open-door policy for players to discuss their concerns about trade talk. Cherington said some players seek as much information as possible, while others simply ignore the trade talk.

“It’s always a tough time of year,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “It’s not an easy time for guys to go through, especially guys with families, thinking about that and how do we help them maintain their focus to put their focus out on the field and not on the rumors. You can’t address every single rumor that comes across because you just don’t know where they’re coming from or how it transpires. But being upfront and talking to guys as much as we can, from myself or from Ben, making sure they’re in a good spot when they go out there and play and focus on the game.”

Cherington said the expectations are different for players on one-year deals who understand they can be treated like rentals, as opposed to longtime Pirates such as Hayes and All-Stars in outfielder Bryan Reynolds and right-hander Mitch Keller, who are all under long-term contracts.

Hayes signed an eight-year, $70 million contract in April 2022 that runs through 2029. A year later, Reynolds signed an eight-year, $106.75 million contract through 2030. Last year, Keller signed a five-year, $77 million contract through 2028. Now, three players who were once considered cornerstones are potential trade chips.

“If there’s rumors about players who are under contract or under control of the Pirates past 2025, well, that’s a much different exercise,” Cherington said. “Our goal is to win in 2026, so we’re looking to improve the team going into 2026. So anything that would involve a player path that has a chance to be a Pirate in 2026 is going to be a different conversation than a player who is going to be a free agent at the end of the year.”

A former first-round draft pick by the Pirates, Hayes won the NL Gold Glove in 2023. Despite batting .237/.284/.293 with nine doubles, two home runs and 33 RBIs, he could be attractive to trade suitors because of his elite defense. Hayes leads all MLB third basemen with 13 outs above average and 13 defensive runs saved this season.

“I obviously want to be here my whole career, coming up with who I was drafted by,” Hayes said. “You never know what’s going on upstairs, with how they’re looking at stuff. Since I’ve been up in the big leagues, whenever you look around at trade deadline time and teams that are in the position that we’re in right now, it could happen. I’m sure it is there for people. This is our lives, what we do for a living. We’ve got to do our best to be where our feet are and take care of what’s in front of us that day. Whatever happens, it’s a what’s for you is for you type of thing.”

Despite playing in his hometown, two-time All-Star closer David Bednar can’t avoid hearing trade talk. Speculation has increased since Bednar earned NL reliever of the month honors for June by not allowing an earned run in 10 outings. Bednar, who has a 2.45 ERA with 13 saves in as many opportunities, is making $5.9 million this season and has one year of arbitration eligibility remaining before he reaches free agency.

“Obviously, everybody knows how I feel about being here and wearing this uniform,” said Bednar, a Mars alum. “It’s just controlling what I can control and take it one day at time. Absolutely, it’s been a frustrating stretch, for sure. All you can do is show up and be ready to roll.”

That will make the next 10 days a challenge for the Pirates, as players wait anxiously to see who will be traded and what they will get in return as the club reshapes its roster in an effort to reverse its fortunes.

“This is not an easy time period for a team to work through,” Cherington said, “but the goals will be to put the players in the best situation to succeed and, ultimately, put the Pirates in the best position to make good decisions and build towards a much better future.”