The Pittsburgh Pirates added another veteran first baseman/outfielder Sunday, acquiring Connor Joe from the Colorado Rockies in a trade for a minor league pitcher.
Joe, 30, is a former Pirates first-round pick, selected 39th overall in 2014 out of the University of San Diego. He was traded to Atlanta for infielder Sean Rodriguez in August 2017, and bounced from the Braves to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds before playing in the majors for the San Francisco Giants and Rockies.
The 6-foot, 205-pounder slashed .238/.338/.359 with 20 doubles, four triples, seven home runs and 28 RBIs in 111 games for the Rockies last season, when he played 50 games in left field, 27 as designated hitter, 24 at first base and 16 in right field. In 182 games over three seasons, Joe has a .247/.346/.385 slash line with 29 doubles, four triples, 15 homers and 63 RBIs. Joe isn’t eligible for arbitration until 2025.
The Pirates dealt right-handed pitcher Nick Garcia to the Rockies. Garcia, 23, a 2020 third-round pick out of Chapman University, was 4-4 with a 3.66 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 109 strikeouts and 46 walks over 113 innings in 25 appearances, including 23 starts, for High-A Greensboro last season.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Pirates designated right-handed reliever Nick Mears for assignment. Mears, 26, signed as an undrafted free agent and was 1-0 with a 4.75 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 32 strikeouts and 21 walks in 30 1/3 innings over 36 appearances in three seasons with the Pirates.
Joe adds another right-handed bat to a Pirates 40-man roster that features eight outfielders. The switch-hitting Bryan Reynolds requested a trade earlier this month, and Miguel Andujar and Ryan Vilade, who was claimed off waivers from the Rockies last month, are the only other right-handed hitters. Tucupita Marcano, Cal Mitchell, Canaan Smith-Njigba and Travis Swaggerty are all lefties.
