Jose Pirela

Jose Pirela

35-Year-Old OutfielderOF
 Free Agent  Foreign
2025 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Jose Pirela in 2025. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
$Signed a one-year contract with the Padres in March of 2019. Traded to the Phillies in July of 2019.
Leaves Japan for KBO
OFFree Agent  F
December 16, 2020
Pirela signed a one-year, $600,000 contract Wednesday with the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization, the Yonhap News Agency reports.
ANALYSIS
The 31-year-old will remain in Asia for a second straight season after he spent the 2020 campaign in Japan with Nippon Professional Baseball's Hiroshima Toyo Carp, with whom he batted .266 with 11 home runs and 34 RBI. Pirela, who previously appeared in 302 MLB games with the Yankees, Padres and Phillies from 2014 through 2019, could revisit a return to North America in 2022 if he fares well during his time in Korea.
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2019
2018
2017
2019 MLB Game Log
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2017 MLB Game Log
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Jose Pirela See More
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209 days ago
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Top 400 Prospect Rankings Mailbag
321 days ago
James Anderson answers dozens of questions about this week's massive update to the RotoWire top 400 prospect rankings for dynasty leagues, including what to expect from D-backs shortstop Jordan Lawlar.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
Pirela spent most of the early part of the 2019 season in the minors or on the injured list, appearing in just two big-league games before being traded from the Padres to the Phillies in late July in exchange for cash. He didn't play an important role in Philadelphia, either, remaining in the minors until rosters expanded in September and then playing infrequently. Altogether, the utility man went just 4-for-22 at the plate in the big leagues, though his .327/.376/.596 slash line with 22 homers in 88 minor-league games was quite strong. He opted to take his career to Japan for his age-30 season, so he is firmly off the fantasy radar for 2020.
Despite a breakout 2017 campaign, there were concerns with Pirela heading into 2018, several of which proved prescient. His 13.2% HR/FB mark in 2017 seemed out of whack, especially with Pirela playing home games in Petco Park. Considering he customarily hits flyballs at around a 30% rate, a sharp power drop was feared, and came to fruition. A 4-for-7 stolen-base success rate two years ago limited his 2018 chances as he finished 6-for-9. Further impeding Pirela's 2018 campaign was a big decline in BABIP despite a similar batted-ball profile. Last season was probably Pirela's last chance to show he's more than a utility guy able to play in the infield and outfield. The Padres have a logjam in the outfield and are grooming a Luis Urias/Fernando Tatis Jr. middle infield. Pirela will likely find some playing time, though not as much as the previous two seasons. Even if his average rebounds, there's little category juice.
Pirela is an enigma. After fizzling out with the Yankees, he was non-tendered by the Padres last winter. Pirela ultimately re-signed with San Diego on a minor-league deal and forced his way to the big leagues by slashing .331/.387/.635 in 48 games at Triple-A. To the surprise of many, he carried that success over to the highest level, hitting for impressive power even at Petco Park, which was the second-worst park for home runs (five homers, .196 ISO at home). His strikeout rate was manageable at just over 20 percent and he walked at a useful clip (7.8 percent), with everything totaling up to a 122 wRC+ and 2.1 fWAR in 83 games. Was it a mirage? There are concerns: 31.5 percent flyball rate, 57 percent stolen-base rate and a lack of track record. He will be competing with Franchy Cordero, Alex Dickerson and Travis Jankowski for the starting job in left field this spring, and figures to be the heavy favorite based on last year's success.
Pirela spent most of 2016 on the minor league DL due to plantar fasciitis, but he took a step back at Triple-A El Paso in the 35 games he was able to play, hitting just .248/.295/.387 in his first run in the Pacific Coast League. Much of his value to big league organizations comes with his defensive versatility, though last season at El Paso, he spent more time in the outfield than ever before despite seeing most of his time with the Padres at second base. With the expected return of Cory Spangenberg from injury and the emergence of Ryan Schimpf, Pirela figures to spend the bulk of 2017 in the minors after re-upping with the Padres on a minor league deal this offseason. A right-handed hitter, Pirela has a .301/.352/.428 line over four years at the Triple-A level, but he's posted a .568 OPS in 59 big league games with the Yankees and Padres since debuting in 2014. It's fair to wonder if he will ever hit enough against big league pitching to become more than a part-time player.
Pirela was expected to begin last season as a utility infield option for the Yankees, and perhaps even challenge Stephen Drew for a platoon role at second base, but a concussion suffered in spring training ended up impacting the rest of his season. Once he returned in May, he struggled in the early going before being sent down to the minors, and he continued going back and forth between Triple-A and the majors for the remainder of the season. As he enters his age-26 season, Pirela has impressed at the upper levels of the minors but hasn't been able to translate that level of play to the big league club. The Padres saw something they liked as they traded for him in the offseason and he'll be in the mix for a infield job this spring.
Pirela impressed at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season, putting himself on the radar for the Yankees as a potential fit for a bench role in 2015, and even earning a brief callup in September. Most likely, the organization will address the vacancy at second base via free agency, but the right-handed hitting infielder delivered double-digit homers and steals at Triple-A while splitting most of his playing time between the keystone and left field. Pirela doesn't walk often, but he puts a lot of balls in play and has consistently maintained that profile while ascending through the upper levels of the minor leagues. An Opening Day utility role isn't out of the question, depending on the team's alternatives during spring training.
More Fantasy News
Bound for Japan
OFFree Agent  F
November 1, 2019
Pirela was released by the Phillies on Friday in order to sign with a team in Japan, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
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Delivers two-run homer
OFPhiladelphia Phillies  F
September 17, 2019
Pirela went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run Tuesday against the Braves.
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Headed to majors
OFPhiladelphia Phillies  F
September 3, 2019
Pirela was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
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Dealt to Phillies
OFSan Diego Padres  F
July 27, 2019
Pirela was traded from the Padres to the Phillies on Saturday in exchange for cash.
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Removed from 40-man roster
OFSan Diego Padres  F
July 22, 2019
Pirela was designated for assignment by the Padres on Monday.
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