Pittsburgh Pirates: David Freese extension provides affordable flexibility
By Tim Haberin
With little fanfare, David Freese is putting together a respectable season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Keeping him around at a bargain rate makes sense for the team’s current configuration.
When the Pittsburgh Pirates signed infielder David Freese to a one-year deal back in March, they were taking a chance on a once solid player with gradually declining numbers over the past few seasons. But at a $3 million price tag, it certainly wasn’t the most expensive risk to take. As the campaign heads toward September, it appears that the investment was a wise one for the Bucs.
While Freese hasn’t completely turned the clock back to 2012 when he posted an .839 OPS and earned an All-Star nod with the St. Louis Cardinals, he has enjoyed his best season at the plate since then. Through 108 games he is slashing .276/.357/.436 with 12 home runs and 49 RBI. His .793 OPS is a sizable jump from the .722 mark he managed between 2013 and 2015. Freese also averaged 11 homers and 57 RBI a season over that span; he’s already surpassed the home run total and will almost surely exceed that RBI threshold by year’s end. He currently ranks second on the roster with a 2.2 WAR.
The Pirates have liked what they’ve seen from Freese enough that they decided to re-sign him before this offseason’s free agency period. Yesterday they announced that they had inked him to a two-year, $11 million extension with a team option for a third season. The deal will pay Freese $6.25 million in 2017 and $4.25 million in 2018. The option for 2019 comes in at $6 million with a $500,000 buyout.
According to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball, Freese can also pick up an extra $1 million each year in bonuses based on his number of plate appearances.
That’s a fairly reasonable rate for a player who has proved quite useful to this year’s Pirates team amid injuries and other circumstances. Primarily a corner infielder throughout his eight-year career, Freese has made 65 appearances at third base this season and 43 at first. He’s even tried his hand twice at second base. So he should continue to be a versatile piece for manager Clint Hurdle that can play multiple spots around the field.
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Considering the uncertainties Pittsburgh could face at those positions going into next season, Freese figures to remain a valuable asset. Third baseman Jung Ho Kang‘s star has dimmed considerably since last year’s eye-opening rookie performance. More health issues – the latest being a strained left shoulder – have limited him to 77 games so far. And in a much more serious matter, Kang is also under investigation for sexual assault claims that surfaced in July. It’s anyone’s guess as to how that will proceed.
Over on the opposite corner of the diamond, the Bucs began the year with John Jaso holding down first base. The former catcher has been disappointing at the plate; his .707 OPS represents a significant drop from last season’s mark of .839. Though he remains under contract through 2017, the organization will aim to improve there.
The answer may already be in front of them: Josh Bell, the Pirates’ #3 prospect as per MLB Pipeline, was recently called up again. A switch-hitter who the club hopes will hit for average and power at the big league level, Bell will presumably get the chance to win the starting first base role next year. If he’s not ready right away, Freese provides some insurance.
Freese is pretty much an average major league ballplayer, good for around 2.0 WAR the past couple years, and that’s something that absolutely has value in today’s landscape. He seems comfortable in Pittsburgh and back in the NL Central. Freese turned 33 this year, but a two-year deal at an agreeable rate is hardly a crippling pact.
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The Pirates are still in the playoff hunt, 3.5 games behind the National League’s second Wild Card spot. But regardless of how this season ends, they have made the decision to keep Freese around at least for the short-term future.