The Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates were expected to be sellers before Thursday’s trade deadline, and the New York Yankees helped fulfill those expectations.
Colorado dealt three of its veterans — two to New York — ahead of the deadline, and Pittsburgh sent reliever David Bednar to the Yankees a day after trading Ke’Bryan Hayes to Cincinnati.
The Rockies and Pirates, two new-look teams, will meet for a three-game series in Denver starting Friday night. Colorado will send right-hander Antonio Senzatela (4-14, 6.68 ERA) to the mound opposite Pittsburgh left-hander Andrew Heaney (5-9, 4.79) in the opener.
The Rockies have the fewest wins in the majors at 28 and made their task of avoiding the wrong side of history tougher by dealing veteran relievers Tyler Kinley to Atlanta and Jake Bird to New York — a few days after sending third baseman Ryan McMahon to the Bronx Bombers.
Colorado is on pace to finish with fewer wins than the 2024 Chicago White Sox, who set the modern-era record for losses with 121. The Rockies, though, hope adding prospects to a thin minor league pipeline will pay off in the future.
The team added four relievers — righty Austin Smith from the Braves and, from the Yankees, right-hander Josh Grosz and lefties Ben Shields and Griffin Herring — as well as second baseman Roc Riggio.
“Anytime any team can add left-handed pitching, it’s good,” Colorado general manager Bill Schmidt told MLB.com. “And we got two good left-handers [Herring and Shields] in these trades with the Yankees.”
The departure of Kinley and Bird will impact an already shaky bullpen, meaning more will be expected from the starters. Senzatela has struggled this year; his 14 losses are the most in the majors. What’s more, he hasn’t fared well against the Pirates, going 0-2 with a 12.75 ERA in four career games (three starts).
Heaney has had more success against the Rockies, with a 3-2 and a 3.27 ERA in seven career appearances (six starts).
Pittsburgh, which has a five-game winning streak, also dug into its bullpen to add prospects. In exchange for Bednar, the team’s closer before being dealt, the Pirates landed three position players: catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores, catcher/first baseman Edgleen Perez, and outfielder Brian Sanchez. Pittsburgh also sent lefty Caleb Ferguson to Seattle for minor league pitcher Jeter Martinez.
The Pirates made a late move by sending left-hander Bailey Falter to Kansas City for lefty Evan Sisk and first baseman Callan Moss. Pittsburgh added veteran Taylor Rogers to the bullpen in the Hayes deal as well as minor league infielder Sammy Stafura.
Hayes was one of the longest-tenured players on Pittsburgh’s roster.
“It was cool to see him grow, win the Gold Glove, go through the ups and downs, the back stuff that he dealt with, finding a way this year to get on a program that allowed him to stay on the field,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said of Hayes after Wednesday’s win over San Francisco.
“It’s one of those things in the business that you understand happens, especially this time of year with the trade deadline. Just want to wish him the best.”
–Field Level Media
