Pittsburgh Pirates acquire Sean Rodriguez, designate Gaby Sanchez
By Aaron Somers
The Pittsburgh Pirates continued to reshape their roster, announcing Monday that they had acquired Sean Rodriguez from the Tampa Bay Rays. Tampa Bay will receive cash considerations and a player to be named later. Pittsburgh designated Gaby Sanchez for assignment to make room on their 40-man roster.
Rodriguez had been designated for assignment by the Rays last week, in order to make room for prospects that the organization wanted to protect in advance of next week’s Rule 5 draft.
Rodriguez appeared in 96 games for the Rays in 2014, seeing time at every defensive position aside from center field and behind the plate. He batted .211/.258/.443 in 259 plate appearances, hitting a career best 12 home runs. MLB Trade Rumors’ projections peg Rodriguez to earn $2 million in 2015, his final year before reaching free agency.
While hardly an offensive threat – he’s a career .225/.258/.443 hitter over seven seasons – the defensive versatility has some certain value (a vast majority of our team sites here at FanSided MLB made a case for their team to pick him up) and could help the Pirates round out the end of their bench. Rodriguez will be 30 in late April.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Sanchez’s roster spot looked safe in wake of Pittsburgh’s decision to part with Ike Davis. Sanchez and Pedro Alvarez figured to share the duties at first base but it would seem the Pirates are more prepared to give the job to Alvarez full time than had been expected. Sanchez hit just .229/.293/.385 in 290 plate appearances this past season, struggling against right-handers.
Sanchez, 31, has long had poor career numbers against righties at just .238/.308/.383 – compared to .291/.382/.481 against left-handers.