Pittsburgh Pirates Pass On Mat Latos Despite Low Cost

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been one of the most exciting franchises over the past few seasons, and they’re still very young. Their outfield is widely considered the top unit in baseball and in a perfect world, they would keep the franchise relevant for the next 15 years. The reality is that once these players hit the open market, they will be difficult to keep around.

The Bucs have put together a nucleus of young players, led by outfielders Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco along with starting pitcher Gerrit Cole. They’ve led the team to the postseason in three straight seasons, the first of which ended a two-decade long playoff drought. Clint Hurdle has one of the best rosters in baseball, but when it comes to pulling the trigger on a deal that could put the Pirates over the top, the team has been hesitant to part with their farm talent.

Mat Latos is the latest to go unsigned by the Pirates, though it looks like the decision to pass on the veteran came down to the negative effect that he would likely have in the clubhouse. Latos signed with the Chicago White Sox yesterday, and while the one-year, $3 million deal was well within the Pirates’ budget, they may have a legitimate case as to why they let him go elsewhere.

With the exception of last season, Latos has had a productive career and he could’ve been a really good, cheap addition similar to the Pirates’ acquisitions of A.J. Burnett and Francisco Liriano in the past. Burnett was a questionable signing when he walked in, but he walked out a fan favorite, so it’s hard to challenge general manager Neal Huntington‘s judgement when looking at it from the outside. The Bucs have one of the more respectable clubhouses in the league, and the last thing they want to do is bring in a toxic player who could change that.

There is a legitimate criticism of the Pirates though, and it’s that they seem to shy away from a blockbuster deal that could make them an immediate World Series favorite. Last season, they could’ve made a run at David Price at the trade deadline, but did nothing. Eventually, the Pirates will have to pull the trigger and bring in a big name that can carry the team through the postseason much like Madison Bumgarner did for San Francisco during their most recent championship run.

Pittsburgh has quietly added to their pitching staff with the signings of Ryan Vogelsong and Neftali Feliz. They also sent second baseman Neil Walker to the New York Mets in December for lefty Jon Niese. It’s hard to say where these acquisitions will stand around midseason, but the Pirates’ roster will have a slightly different look on opening day.