The Pirates yesterday swung a trade with Atlanta that bolsters the Bucs’ bullpen options and at the same time clears up their catcher question.
Catcher Joey Bart heads home to Georgia in exchange for reliever Hunter Stratton, who returns to the Pirates after being traded to the Braves on the exact same date last year.
Stratton played parts of three seasons with the Pirates, compiling a 2-1 record with a 4.30 ERA in 47 appearances. He had established himself in the bullpen in 2024 but suffered a gruesome ruptured patellar tendon when he slid into the wall behind home plate after a wild pitch in August. He returned the following April but couldn’t stick with the big league club before he was traded for outfielder Titus Dumitru, who is currently with Altoona. With Atlanta, Stratton was 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA in thirteen appearances, including one scoreless inning this year before being reassigned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
With Gwinnett this season, Stratton was 2-4 with one save and a 4.38 ERA in 21 appearances. The Pirates assigned him to Indianapolis.
Bart has been on the injured list with a foot infection since May 12th. He was on a rehab assignment with Indianapolis. He was 2-for-2 with a double in yesterday’s game before learning that he’d been traded. He hit .259 this season with the Pirates, with a double, two home runs and six RBIs in 21 games. He’s a native of Buford, Georgia and played in college for Georgia Tech. Trading him to Atlanta settles the catching position for now with the Pirates, with Endy Rodriguez and Henry Davis splitting the duties.
Winners of two straight games, the Pirates open a three-game series in Denver against the Colorado Rockies tonight.
Joe Block looks at the pitching matchup.
