Pirates trade Nick Kingham for cash 1 year after magical debut
Less than 14 months after a magical major league debut, the Pittsburgh Pirates traded pitcher Nick Kingham to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday for cash considerations.
Kingham, 26, who was out of minor league options, had been designated for assignment June 8.
The 6-foot-5, 235-pound right-hander took a perfect game into the seventh inning of his major league debut. Kingham pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing one hit and no walks while striking out nine in a 5-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on April 29, 2018.
But Kingham went 5-7, with a 5.21 ERA and 1.382 WHIP last season and finished the season in the bullpen. He was working in long relief this season when the Pirates lost Jameson Taillon and Trevor Williams to injuries, forcing Kingham into a starter’s role.
Kingham was 1-1, with a 9.87 ERA and 2.048 WHIP in 14 games, but opponents were slashing .414/.476/.730 against him in his past seven outings, including four starts.
Thank you @Pirates pic.twitter.com/3l3ALTDJqk
— Nick Kingham (@NickKingham) June 13, 2019
Kingham, a 2010 fourth-round pick by the Pirates, thanked the club for drafting him.
“They gave me the opportunity to live out my dream and, for that, I am forever grateful.”
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Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.
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