Pirates Trade Targets: Four Players Worth Pursuing Before 2024 Deadline

The Pittsburgh Pirates teeter around the .500 mark as July wraps up its first week. With that said, Pittsburgh sits within realistic striking distance of a wild-card spot in the National League.

That keeps the possibility open for the Pirates to buy at the MLB trade deadline and play out the season with an added boost in a fairly open NL wild-card race.

As long as the Pirates stay on track, here are four potential trade targets who could make sense for Pittsburgh.

Mason Miller, RHP, Oakland Athletics
There’s never a bad time to add bullpen help, but the Pirates could use a boost due to David Bednar’s injury and inconsistencies from other relievers.

Miller’s rise in closing games for the Athletics is special, and he holds the pitch mix and the cadence of a back-end reliever. The 25-year-old sports a 2.39 ERA with 14 saves for Oakland this season and pitches like one of the rising young arms in the sport.

Miller’s market should be competitive, but this splash would certainly benefit the Pirates.

Miguel Andujar, OF, Oakland Athletics
The Pirates could have more business to do with the A’s — this time to address outfield help.

Bryan Reynolds is the only Pittsburgh outfielder hitting above .230. That should be cause for an upgrade.

Andujar came up as a talented infielder with the New York Yankees and shined in 2018 before losing his way. He seems to have found it as an outfielder in Oakland. He’s hitting .296 through 38 games and could continue that stretch in Pittsburgh.

This might not be a splash, per se, but the Pirates certainly would get an upgrade in production at the plate.

Elías Díaz, C, Colorado Rockies
The Pirates certainly need a better-hitting catcher.

Yasmani Grandal and Henry Davis need a boost, and there is another NL team that can help with that. Díaz is off to another strong start, hitting .304 with a .781 OPS through 62 games for the Rockies. He’s picked up where he left off from an All-Star appearance in 2023.

Of all the positions for Pittsburgh to add, a deal for Díaz might be the most impactful.

Tommy Pham, OF, Chicago White Sox
Who knows? Maybe the Pirates look at multiple outfielders.

Pham is no stranger to deadline deals, as he was traded before the 2018, 2022 and 2023 deadlines.

As a veteran hitter and a solid at-bat, Pham posted a .705 OPS through 55 games with the White Sox this season and would add another experienced bat to the Pirates lineup.