Samaniego has struggled to stay healthy, only throwing 56 innings in the last two full seasons. At times, he’s looked sharp, and the organization thought highly enough of him to protect him ahead of this year’s Rule 5 Draft. However, due to his struggles to stay on the field, the pathway to the big leagues seemed a little bit murky with the Bucs.
As for Guzman, he played just one game for the club in Low-A near the end of the season. While it’s still unclear how he’ll handle the adjustment to professional baseball, he should possess decent upside with both his bat and his glove.
All in all, Guzman and Samaniego are wild-cards that may bring some upside, but only time will tell due to the questions that surround them both.
Ultimately, for Ben Cherington’s Pirates, this deal is worth the risk that it presents. Even if Oviedo discovers his control with the Red Sox, the Pirates still have plenty of quality starting pitching depth they can turn to.
What’s Next?
Now that the Pirates have made their first addition of the offseason, the focus becomes searching for what’s next. The club has been tied to big free agents such as Kyle Schwarber, Kazuma Okamoto, Jorge Polanco, and others, meaning the expectations are quite high.
Above all else, the Pirates must add to the offense. There’s a chance the Pirates add another outfielder to the fold in addition to Garcia, but the infield is now what must take priority.