Potential Pirates trade targets: Outfielder primed for rebound season

This is one of a series of studies potential trading targets for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2024-25 offseason.

The reality of Ben Cherington’s situation is that he has to go bargain hunting.

The general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates works with a limited budget, which is how the organization also functions under Bob Nutting. So Cherington is always on the lookout for undervalued players in free agency or buy-low players in trades as he builds his roster in the offseason.

The Houston Astros are a potential trade partner for the Pirates, as they have an outfielder whose trade value is low after a disappointing 2024.

Chas McCormick hit just .211/.271/.306 in 94 games with five home runs and eight stolen bases. He was minus-2 in defensive runs saved and his bWAR was minus-0.6. McCormick also spent two stints on the injured list due to right hamstring discomfort and a broken left wrist.

The 29-year-old is eligible for salary arbitration for the second time. After making $2.85 million this past season, his 2025 salary will increase to at least $3 million and perhaps as much as $3.5 million.

The cynic would say that McCormick is a typical Pirates player who is on the downhill side of his career. However, there is reason to believe that McCormick could still be a useful player.

In 2023, McCormick had a slash line of .273/.353/.489 in 115 games. He also hit 22 home runs, stole 19 bases, had five defensive runs saved and a 3.6 bWAR.

A return to that level in 2025 would be a boost for the Pirates, who this year were 23rd in batting average, 24th in runs, 25th in home runs, 26th in on-base percentage and 27th in OPS. Despite his defensive regression, McCormick’s career fielding credentials are good at all three outfield positions.

It’s instructive to note that McCormick was above average offensively in his first three seasons in the big leagues before taking a dip this year. While McCormick’s right-handed bat may not play well at PNC Park, he is one season removed from missing a 20-20 season.

The Astros are looking to add starting pitching, and the Pirates have depth in that department. Likewise, Houston could afford to trade McCormick because it has a surplus of outfielders.

The Pirates offer left-handed players Bailey Falter in trade talks with a solid first full season in the major leagues. He went 8-9 with a 4.43 ERA in 28 starts and 142.2 innings.

Falter’s salary is arbitration eligible and should be around $3 million next season. So trading him for McCormick would almost mean a financial crisis, which is always a big factor for the Pirates.