Pirates GM Ben Cherington swings 6 trades for 11 players, including three deals at deadline

Ben Cherington had been working for weeks on trades to transform the Pittsburgh Pirates, showing a willingness to listen to offers on almost anybody on the roster in an effort to restock the farm system with talent.

The Pirates general manager had been active all week, swinging three trades by early Wednesday morning and a swap of minor leaguers on Friday morning. When the 4 p.m. trade deadline passed, however, the Pirates were conspicuously quiet.

About 40 minutes later, two trades were announced: Closer Richard Rodriguez was sent to the Atlanta Braves for right-handed pitchers Bryse Wilson and Ricky DeVito, and lefty reliever Austin Davis was dealt to the Boston Red Sox for infielder Michael Chavis.

“The two that happened (Friday) were right up against the deadline, within minutes,” Cherington said. “I can’t remember the exact time stamp on it but certainly within minutes.”

Cherington parted with All-Star second baseman Adam Frazier, starting lefty Tyler Anderson, their closer in Rodriguez and fellow relievers Davis, Clay Holmes and Braeden Ogle in six trades for a total of 11 players. The return included four right-handed pitchers, four infielders, two catchers and one outfielder.

“I think it’s always a little busier, the 12 hours leading up to the deadline,” Cherington said. “I think that was the case. Obviously, we were able to do a handful of deals earlier in the week, then got a couple done (Friday). Lots and lots of other things we talked about. Teams came at us in a number of different ways on different things. Other things we could have done, but nothing else that crossed that threshold of what we’re comfortable with.”

While the Pirates were active, it was no comparison to the total teardowns by the Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals. Cherington said he hadn’t had a chance to “really sit back and evaluate everything that happened in the industry,” but was pleased with the Pirates’ haul.

The biggest move Friday involved the 31-year-old Rodriguez (4-2, 2.82 ERA), who had 14 saves, 33 strikeouts and five walks in 37 appearances and had pitched a reliever’s equivalent of a perfect game earlier this season. Cherington said the move netted “two guys we think have a chance to be starting pitchers in the major leagues for us.”

The 23-year-old Wilson is 5-4 with a 5.45 ERA in 14 starts over four seasons and won a game against the eventual world champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS last October. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder was 2-3 with a 4.83 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in seven starts for the Braves this season, and has a five-pitch repertoire that relies on a four-seam fastball, changeup and sinker but also mixes in a slider and curveball.

“We feel like he can come in and be part of a group of young starting pitchers we’re growing and developing and come in and be a strong part of that, so look forward to getting to know him,” Cherington said. “Really excited to welcome Bryse into the organization.”

DeVito, 22, is a 6-3, 195-pounder who was 0-3 with a 2.66 ERA and 1.28 WHIP but averaged 12 strikeouts per nine innings for High-A Rome. Cherington said DeVito, who is currently out with an elbow injury, is a “a younger pitcher who has really good stuff, has a starter’s repertoire, have some history with back to college at Seton Hall” and was someone the Pirates were scouting after a strong start this season.

In exchange for the lefty reliever Davis, the Pirates got a versatile player that Cherington chose in the 2014 first round when he was GM of the Red Sox. Chavis has played 80 games at first base, 68 at second base, four at third base and 11 in left field in his major league career.

The 25-year-old right-handed hitter was 15 for 79 (.190) with four doubles, a triple, two home runs and six RBIs in 31 games with the Red Sox and slashed .263/.327/.474 with two doubles, six homers and 17 RBIs in 24 games at Triple-A Worcester. In 168 games over three seasons in Boston, Chavis hit 25 home runs and had 83 RBIs.

“He’s got really good power,” Cherington said. “He’s been a good hitter since he was in high school, obviously getting to know him back then. There’s some defensive versatility there, the ability to play on the right side of the infield, the outfield and has had some success in the major leagues, obviously has hit for some power at the major league level.

“I think we’re looking forward to getting Michael over here, maybe a bit of a fresh start for him coming out of the organization that drafted him originally, hopefully a fresh start for him. I think initially we’ll get him to Indianapolis, get him settled in there and get him playing, but looking forward to reconnecting with him and getting him in a Pirates uniform.”

The Pirates also got a catching prospect they had targeted in an earlier deal that fell through when they acquired Abrahan Gutierrez from the Philadelphia Phillies for Triple-A left-hander Braeden Ogle.

Expected to be part of the package when the clubs agreed to a trade Tuesday involving Anderson — who was dealt to Seattle when a medical issue was discovered with a pitching prospect – Gutierrez instead was traded Friday for Triple-A left-hander Braeden Ogle.

Cherington said the 21-year-old Gutierrez, ranked the No. 27 prospect in the Phillies’ system by Baseball America, controls the strike zone and has strong defensive skills. Gutierrez was batting .288 with 10 doubles, five home runs, 32 RBIs, a .420 on-base percentage and an .850 OPS for Low-A Clearwater.

“Obviously, the Anderson thing, understanding how these things happen – it’s the hard part of it,” Cherington said. “Deals aren’t done until they’re done, but there was a player there that obviously we liked and, fortunately for us, we were able to continue dialogue with the Phillies and find a way to make an agreement on a different deal.”