The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired Houston Astros outfielder Hunter Pence, meaning the Pirates have to look in other directions.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Phillies paid quite a lot to get Pence. They gave up 19-year-old outfield prospect Jonathan Singleton, who has hit very well at Class A+ this year. They also gave up Jarred Cosart, one of their better pitching prospects (although by no means a great one) and two other players.
That’s a bunch. There’s no easy comparison to a similar package might have been for the Pirates, but in terms of value, it’s probably something like Starling Marte and Stetson Allie, or maybe even a bit better than that. The Phillies can afford to give up prospects like Singleton in trades, since they have far less need than the Pirates for young, cheap players to fill spots at the major-league level. Personally, I would rather just leave Pence alone. Look for the Pirates to make a lower-profile move at the deadline on Sunday.
For more on the Pirates, check out Bucs Dugout.