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Pirates Checked in on Bronson Arroyo

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Rob Biertempfel has a preview of the Winter Meetings for the Pittsburgh Pirates, detailing the positions of need for the team this off-season. In the starting pitching section, Biertempfel mentions that the Pirates have checked in on Bronson Arroyo.

Arroyo is a free agent, coming off a season with a 3.79 ERA in 202 innings, along with a 5.5 K/9 and a 1.5 BB/9. That followed a 2012 season where he had almost identical numbers, posting a 3.74 ERA in 202 innings, with a 5.8 K/9 and a 1.6 BB/9.

He’s not a dominant pitcher, and definitely not a top of the rotation guy. However, Arroyo has pitched 199+ innings each year since 2005. His advanced metrics are closer to league average, with a career 4.39 xFIP, although his numbers the last two years have been in the 4.00-4.20 range. What Arroyo could be expected to provide would be 200 innings a year with an ERA around 4.00. That’s not an ace, but it does have value.

The downside for Arroyo is that he’s a right-handed fly ball pitcher, which isn’t a good combination for PNC Park. He has been spending most of his career in the Great American Launching Pad, so there is a chance that his numbers wouldn’t change with a move to PNC Park.

One thing to remember is that “checking in” doesn’t mean Arroyo will be a Pirate. It might not even mean that they will pursue him with an offer. He’s not a flashy pitcher, but he’s also not a bad pitcher.

Tim Williams
Tim Williams
Tim is the owner, producer, editor, and lead writer of PiratesProspects.com. He has been running Pirates Prospects since 2009, becoming the first new media reporter and outlet covering the Pirates at the MLB level in 2011 and 2012. His work can also be found in Baseball America, where he has been a contributor since 2014 and the Pirates' correspondent since 2019.

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