TRADE Pirates add lefty reliever & INF from White Sox

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pirates add another arm to the bullpen and a versatile infielder who can play short, third and first base in a trade with the White Sox Friday night according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. GM Ben Cherington gives up the Pirates first-round compensatory draft pick and a AA reliever.

Bullpen addition

• Left-handed reliever Brandon Eisert. The 6'2", 210-pounder is 2-1 this season with a 5.93 ERA with four starts in 25 appearances, 27.1 innings, with eight walks and 32 strikeouts. The former Blue Jay is 28 and has a career MLB best 1.24 WHIP. He could be used as an opener, especially to help right-handed starter Mitch Keller.

Infielder

• Left-hand hitting first baseman Jacob Gonzalez, 24, who was a first-round pick of the White Sox in 2023. Inhis rookie season with Chicago, Gonzalez has a .244 batting average, .683 OPSwith four doubles and two home runs in 86 at bats. In 52 games in AAA Charlottethis year he had 19 home runs and 62 RBI with a .688 slugging percentage and 1.088OPS. The 6’2”, 205 pounder played mostly first in the majors, but played amajority of his games at shortstop in AAA.

Player traded

• 24-year-old, left-hand reliever Jaden Woods was the Pirates seventh-round pick out of Georgia in 2023. He had a 9.31 ERA in AAA in 10 games, but 3-2 with a 3.16 ERA in 17 games with AA Altoona.

“We believe in this team, and we discussed multiple ways to use the compensation pick to strengthen it,” said Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington in a statement released by the team. “Jacob Gonzalez can complement Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo on the left side of the infield in Konnor Griffin’s absence. He’s also a versatile, left-handed hitter who has taken significant steps this season, and who we believe in long-term.”

The Pirates have yet to announce the corresponding 40-man roster moves.