The Pirates are reportedly in settlement with Andrew Heaney on a one-year deal that’ll assure $5.25MM. The deal, which is pending a bodily, additionally contains efficiency bonuses for the Icon Sports activities Administration shopper. Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster is at capability, in order that they’ll have to make a corresponding transfer when the signing is finalized.
It’s a comparatively low-cost addition to the again of the rotation. Heaney has been a succesful fourth or fifth starter in Texas during the last two seasons. He turned in a 4.15 ERA throughout 147 1/3 innings two seasons in the past. Final yr, he pitched to a 4.28 mark whereas rating second on the crew with 160 innings. Heaney took the ball 66 occasions for the Rangers and allowed 4.22 earned runs per 9 over 307 1/3 frames.
The 33-year-old southpaw had a stable if unspectacular strikeout and stroll profile. Heaney has fanned round 23-24% of opposing hitters in every of the previous two seasons. After working a career-high 9.4% stroll price in ’23, he minimize the free passes to a personal-low 5.9% clip final yr. His 12% swinging strike price was somewhat higher than common.
Heaney has lengthy had the flexibility to overlook bats. Final season’s 22.9% strikeout price, whereas barely above the 22% league common for beginning pitchers, was Heaney’s lowest mark in a decade. He has by no means actually been a flamethrower. Heaney’s fastball sat within the 92-93 MPH vary throughout his greatest seasons. It was down barely to 91.5 MPH on common final yr. The pitch has at all times had good life that enables it to play above its velocity as a swing-and-miss providing.
Regardless of the spectacular strikeout charges, Heaney owns a 4.45 ERA in additional than 1000 profession innings. As a fly-ball pitcher with out big velocity, he’s fairly prone to dwelling runs. Heaney has allowed 1.54 homers per 9 innings in his profession, whereas he surrendered 1.29 longballs per 9 final yr. The Pirates hope that their park can mitigate a few of that. In keeping with Statcast’s park components, solely Oracle Park and the Oakland Coliseum have performed much less favorably for dwelling runs over the previous three seasons than PNC Park. Pittsburgh’s dwelling discipline has been the hardest venue for right-handed energy hitters, particularly, so there aren’t many extra smart touchdown spots for a fly-ball lefty pitcher.
Pittsburgh has a loaded prime three of their rotation: Paul Skenes, Jared Jones and Mitch Keller. Heaney initiatives because the fourth starter. Bailey Falter, who has the same profile as a soft-tossing lefty, is the favourite for the fifth spot. The Bucs thinned their rotation depth once they included Luis Ortiz within the return for first baseman Spencer Horwitz. Depth choices on the 40-man roster embrace Braxton Ashcraft, Mike Burrows and Johan Oviedo (the latter of whom will return after lacking the ’24 season rehabbing Tommy John surgical procedure). Prospects Bubba Chandler and Tom Harrington have reached Triple-A and may make their debuts sooner or later in 2025.
That is Pittsburgh’s sixth main league free agent pickup of the offseason. They’ve all been one-year commitments price fewer than $6MM. They introduced again Andrew McCutchen on one other $5MM assure and added Tommy Pham ($4MM), Caleb Ferguson ($3MM), Adam Frazier ($1.5MM) and Tim Mayza ($1.15MM). Pittsburgh’s participant payroll now sits round $88MM, as calculated by RosterResource. That’s primarily the place they ended final season. Cot’s Baseball Contracts initiatives the Pirates for the fifth-lowest payroll in MLB.
Heaney was one of many few remaining free agent starters who was positive to discover a massive league deal. Jose Quintana and Kyle Gibson are the perfect unsigned choices for groups trying to deepen their rotation.
Robert Murray of FanSided first reported the Pirates and Heaney had been nearing a deal. Jon Heyman of The New York Put up confirmed the settlement. Alden González of ESPN had it as a one-year deal at $5MM with incentives. Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Put up-Gazette reported the assure was $5.25MM. Picture courtesy of Imagn.
