CINCINNATI – Corey Dickerson had perhaps his best game during two seasons as a member of the Pirates on Tuesday night, and it could mean that he soon becomes an ex-Pirate.
Dickerson returned to the lineup after missing three games with a strained left groin and went 3 for 4 with two home runs and a career-high five RBIs, leading the Pirates to an 11-4 victory over the Reds.
The trade deadline is at 4 p.m., Wednesday. Just in the nick of time, Dickerson made an impression on the scouts in attendance at Great American Ball Park.
Dickerson is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, and the Pirates have no intention of re-signing him. Thus, he is seemingly a candidate to be traded.
Speaking at his locker after the game, Dickerson admitted that it is hard to completely block out the trade rumors swirling at this time of the season:
However, Dickerson also said his focus on Tuesday night was just playing again and helping the Pirates end a season-worst nine-game losing streak.
“It’s nice to get back out there with my teammates playing the game that we all love and competing,” Dickerson said. “It’s always fun to get out there.”
Dickerson hit a two-run homer off Lucas Sims in the fifth inning and a solo shot off Robert Stephenson in the seventh.
Dickerson has not been the subject of many trade rumors, so it’s difficult to tell if he will indeed be traded. Yet despite being limited to 43 games primarily because of a shoulder injury, he is having a fine season, hitting .317/.376/.556 with four homers.
Dickerson’s performance was overshadowed by a ninth-inning brawl that featured five players getting ejected.
“Just a lot of chirping going on,” Dickerson said of the fight. “Wound up turning into a little more -- the show everybody got to see. When you’re not part of it, it kind of catches you off-guard. You just have to protect your guys. There’s two sides of it always. It’s one of the best ones I’ve seen.”
