While it wasn’t a blockbuster, Ben Cherington made his first trade Monday as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ general manager.
The Pirates dealt right-hander Dario Agrazal to the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations. Agrazal was designated for assignment last Wednesday.
The trade came a week after Cherington was hired to succeed Neal Huntington. Agrazal had the option to become a free agent if the Pirates wouldn’t have traded him because he was outrighted off the 40-man roster twice in his career.
The 24-year-old made his major league debut June 15 against the Marlins in Miami and went 4-5 with a 4.91 ERA in 15 games, including 14 starts.
Agrazal struggled during the season’s final month, though. He was 0-2 with a 6.05 ERA in four starts in September.
In a combined 16 starts with Triple-A Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona, Agrazal was 4-5 with a 4.91 ERA.
The Pirates signed Agrazal as an international amateur free agent from Panama in 2012.
Cherington’s decision to drop Agrazal from the 40-man roster then trade him was at least a small surprise. The Pirates’ 5.18 ERA last season was the second-worst mark in the National League behind the Colorado Rockies’ 5.56.
While Agrazal didn’t figure to make the Opening Day roster next year unless injuries struck in spring training, there was thought he could provide starting pitching depth at Indianapolis.
The starting rotation at Indianapolis next season projects to be right-handers JT Brubaker, James Marvel and Alex McRae and left-handers Brandon Waddell and Cam Vieaux.
Marvel and McRae pitched for the Pirates this year. Marvel was 0-3 with an 8.31 ERA in four starts, and McRae had an 0-4 record and 8.78 ERA in two starts and nine relief appearances.
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