Pirates deal with trade deadline anxiety, preparing to give more goodbye hugs

Zack Thompson heard rumors designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach could be dealt to a contender, but like most major leaguers — especially on the Pittsburgh Pirates — he ignores trade talk until it comes to fruition.

Thompson was preparing to pitch against the Miami Marlins on July 22 when word spread through the clubhouse Vogelbach had been scratched from the starting lineup and traded to the New York Mets.

“I was putting my spikes on literally to go warm up, and people were giving him hugs,” Thompson said. “That’s when I heard.”

Even though Pirates players knew a deal was a possibility, outfielder Ben Gamel described it as a “gut punch.” Vogelbach was a popular teammate, both for his clubhouse leadership and his constant chatter in the dugout, not to mention his power presence in the lineup.

“It’s tough, but we all have a job to do. It hurts, but we’ve got to keep putting one foot in front of the other,” Gamel said. “I’ve been traded a few times. I don’t think it’s anything I can control, so I try (to) eliminate the noise and just go out and play.”

As the Pirates approached Tuesday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline, they dealt with the anxiety of not knowing who would be the next to be sent packing.

The first of what could be several deals came Monday night when veteran starter Jose Quintana and reliever Chris Stratton were shipped to St. Louis for relief pitcher Johan Oviedo and corner infield prospect Malcolm Nunez.

Related:

• Pirates trade LHP Jose Quintana, RHP Chris Stratton to St. Louis Cardinals
• Tim Benz: Good luck to what remains of Pirates roster after trade deadline passes
• Tim Benz: Pirates may not know how to win, but they sure have figured out when to lose

With the exception of third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes and center fielder Bryan Reynolds, the team’s veterans are all on affordable one-year contracts that could make them cheap rentals for a contender.

“It’s definitely a real thing,” middle infielder Kevin Newman said of the trade deadline dread. “With the amount of times I’ve been through it now, it’s easier to accept. You just put it to the side and take care of what you can take care of, day in and day out. It’s out of your control as a player anyways.

“Being able to keep the noise outside the locker room and off the field I’ve gotten pretty good at. But it’s definitely a real thing. Teams are going to get shaken up. Guys come and guys go. A lot of times you see guys in the clubhouse, and it’s hard to see them go.”

The Pirates made six trades at the deadline in July 2021, dealing All-Star second baseman Adam Frazier to San Diego, right-handed reliever Clay Holmes to the New York Yankees, left-handed starter Tyler Anderson to Seattle, lefty reliever Braeden Ogle to Philadelphia, closer Richard Rodriguez to Atlanta and lefty reliever Austin Davis to Boston.

In return, the Pirates acquired outfielder Jack Suwinski, infielders Diego Castillo and Hoy Park, right-hander Bryse Wilson, first baseman Michael Chavis and four minor-league prospects. Where Holmes and Anderson were selected to the All-Star Game this summer, Chavis has become a solid starter, and Suwinski has hit 14 home runs as a rookie.

“I think you go into any deadline hoping that you can find opportunities to make a trade that help you at some point and make you stronger,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said. “You also know, you look back and dissect what you did right, and maybe the things that didn’t go as well, too, and learn from that.”

This year, remaining trade candidates range from Newman and Gamel to right-handed relievers Tyler Beede and Duane Underwood Jr. and lefty reliever Dillon Peters.

There is interest in a pair of All-Stars, closer David Bednar and Reynolds, but the Pirates have made it clear that trading either would require a tremendous return.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton could sense the change in the clubhouse last weekend, as his team was on its way to enduring a seven-game losing streak and falling into last place in the NL Central.

“I think there’s always a little bit different vibe around this time because there’s so much talk,” Shelton said, “and the one thing about it is there’s a lot of speculation, and 70% of the speculation is not even close to being true. It’s just the fact that it makes for conversation, and with different people, it’s different conversations.”

And the Pirates are preparing for the gut punch when those conversations lead to goodbye hugs.