Pirates trade rumors: Bucs interested in Joaquin Benoit

The Pirates are interested in Padres reliever Joaquin Benoit, Jon Heyman reports. Heyman suggests the price for Benoit will be lower than it was for Huston Street because teams view Benoit as more of a setup man. Benoit does have some closing experience, but if the Pirates won't have to pay him like a closer, then I'd be excited if they pursued him. The peripheral numbers suggest he and Street are pretty similar in overall ability at this point.

Benoit could cost $8 million in 2015, plus a $1.5 million buyout or an $8 million team/vesting option in 2016. I wonder if that will give the Bucs pause -- their recent experience with Jason Grilli shows that a reliever who's good right now might not be good next year, particularly in the case of someone like Benoit, who's 36.

Heyman writes that the Pirates are also interested in Joakim Soria.