Pirates acquire lefty reliever Jalen Beeks from Rockies

The Pittsburgh Pirates added a lefty arm to their bullpen Monday evening, acquiring 31-year-old Jalen Beeks from the Colorado Rockies.

In exchange, the Pirates sent 23-year-old left-hander Luis Peralta to Colorado.

Beeks has made a career-high 45 appearances this year with the Rockies, going 6-4 with a 4.74 ERA in 49 1/3 innings.

This season, his first in a Rockies uniform after spending 2018-2023 with the Tampa Bay Rays, Beeks has struck out 38 with 18 walks.

Beeks’ performance this season has varied considerably.

He began the year on a high note, posting an ERA of 2.92 in April and 3.55 in May. But in June, he allowed 11 earned runs in 13 innings, with a similarly rough July (6.23 ERA).

Notably, Beeks saw action in a closer role for the Rockies this year, recording nine saves.

In addition, Beeks has performed well against left-handed batters, who own a .182 average against him this season.

Originally a 12th-round (No. 374) pick by the Boston Red Sox out of Arkansas in 2014, Beeks was traded to Tampa Bay in 2018, for whom he made 129 appearances (18 starts) over five seasons.

In 2022 with the Rays, he was 2-3 with a 2.80 ERA over 42 games and seven starts.

Beeks missed the entirety of 2021 due to Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in February of that year.

Per Statcast, Beeks relies primarily on three pitches: a four-seam fastball, cutter and changeup.

The Rockies added him from waivers this past November.

Peralta is 4-0 with a 0.91 ERA, 64 strikeouts and 18 walks this season, which he’s split between High-A Greesboro and Double-A Altoona.

An international free agent signed by the Pirates in 2017 out of the Dominican Republic, Peralta was promoted to Altoona in late June.

Trading for Beeks was the second move made by Pirates general manager Ben Cherington on Monday, following the exchange of righty Quinn Priester with Boston for minor-league infielder/outfielder Nick Yorke.

The MLB trade deadline is at 6 p.m. Tuesday.