Notes: Gonzales, Heller Added; Rule 5; Team News; Ex-Bucs On The Move; MLB Snips

The winter's first stirrings...

Notes:

• The Bucs acquired LHP Marco Gonzales from the Braves; Atlanta sent Pittsburgh cash (Gonzales is due $12.25M this year & has a $15M team option with no buyout in 2025) and will get a PTBNL. He had a weak 2023 season (4-1/5.22), but was dealing with a nerve issue that eventually required surgery. In the five seasons prior, he averaged 175 IP to go with a 3.94 ERA and posted a 46-30 record. That's the kind of workhorse performance the Bucs are hoping for again, though they're rolling the dice on a guy coming off injury. 

Marco Gonzales joins the staff - 2022 Steph Chambers/Getty

• The Pirates are keeping an eye on 28-year-old RHP Jack Flaherty. According to reports, they're interested in talking to him about a short term deal, so if he can't land a multi-year agreement he'll be on the FO radar. He was 8-9/4.99 in 27 starts between the Cards and Orioles last season. On the other hand, GM Ben Cherington says they've made contact with just about every FA pitcher, so Flaherty is prob not in an exclusive club.
• Pittsburgh passed on the MLB portion of the Rule 5 Draft, taking no one and losing no one. In the minor league draft, they selected 1B Seth Beer, 27, from Arizona. He slashed .273/.365/.451 with 22 2B, 15 HR and 66 RBI, splitting time between AAA/AA. Beer was Houston's first-rounder (No. 28) in 2018 out of Clemson. Also selected were RHP Fineas Del Bonta-Smith, 26, (2-2/5.40/AA/Colorado), 3B/SS Marcos Cabrera, 22, (.212/Hi A/Yankees) ad CF PJ Hilson, 23, (.246/Lo A - Giants). They lost IF Dariel Lopez, 21, (DNP - dislocated knee/Giants), LHP Omar Cruz, 24, (Altoona - 1-/3.94/Padres), C Rafael Escalante, 22, (.256/Rookie League/Twins) and RHP Roelmy Garcia, 20, (4-0/5.03/Rookie League/Rays). Lopez' loss hurt; he was their 14th-ranked prospect who had a strong '22 at Greensboro, slashing .286/19/56 to get on the radar. It was reported that he's had problems with his knee during his rehab and that played a role in him being left unprotected in the draft.
• In the draft lottery (for position), the Pirates will pick at #9 in July's 2024 MLB Draft. They would have had the #8 selection based on 2023 records.

Depth add Ben Heller - 2023 John Bazemore/AP

• The Pirates have signed RHP Ben Heller, 32, to a minor league deal. He had a 3.86 ERA/5.02 FIP last season with no decisions for the Bravos in 19 outings/18-2/3 IP with 16 K and 11 BB. He's also worked parts of four seasons w/the Yankees.
• RHP Johan Oviedo had his elbow surgery on Wednesday, so his clock for a 2025 return is now running...
• Pirates President Travis Williams said 16,000 fans registered for tickets to PiratesFest within the first two days tickets were available to the free event. The event is set for January 6th at the Convention Center and will be held for the first time since the 2019-20 offseason.
• 1B Yoshi Tsutsugo, 32, who played for Pittsburgh in 2020-21 (.212 BA, 10 HR in 93 games) re-signed with the Giants; he spent last year splitting time between their AAA/AA clubs after starting the year playing in the Texas system. 
• IF Erik Gonzalez, 32, who spent 2019-21 with the Bucs (.236 BA), signed with the Reds. He spent '22 with Miami and '23 in AAA w/the White Sox. Also inked by Cincy was IF Mark Mathias, 29, who was a Pirate in 2023 until he was waived in July, going to Seattle, then San Francisco and finally to off-season free agency.
• The Cleveland Guardians and C Austin Hedges have reportedly agreed on a contract worth $4M, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Cleveland then sold C Christian Bethancourt, who was at Indy in 2021, to Miami. 

The $4M man - 2023 Topps Series 2

• The Japanese must have scouts in Pittsburgh: The Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s NPB have agreed to deals with LHP Taylor Hearn and RHP Thomas Hatch. The deals are reportedly worth $900K for Hearn while Hatch’s deal is for $1.3M. Taylor became Pirates property when he was acquired from the Nats as part of the Mark Melancon deal in 2016 until 2018 when he was moved to Texas as part of the Kila Keone package. Hatch had been released recently by the Bucs to finalize a Japanese deal. RHP Miguel Yajure, who was part of the Jameson Taillon deal with the NYY and tossed here in parts of 2021-22, signed with NPB's Yakult Swallows after a year in the Giants system. RHP Junior Fernandez agreed to a deal with the Chiba Lotte Marines. He was with the Pirates in 2022 and spent last season in the Toronto and Washington orgs.  
• Vic Davalillo passed away at the age of 84, per a Spanish-language report from El Extrabase. The diminutive OF was a Gold Glove winner, All-Star, and two-time champion, once with the Bucs in 1971. He played between 71-73 in Pittsburgh and hit .290 as part of his 16-year MLB career.
• Juan Soto was moved, as expected, from San Diego to the New York Yankees for a mixed package of prospects and vets.
• Who woulda guessed? Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for 10 years and $700 M on Saturday, the day after a false crumb trail had him going to Toronto that was reportedly a ploy floated by his agent.