The Pirates’ bullpen has gotten so messy that even a straightforward roster move now comes with a built-in wait.
Hunter Stratton has barely been back in the organization, but he’s already given Pittsburgh plenty to think about. Since coming over from the Atlanta Braves in the Joey Bart trade about two weeks ago, the right-hander has made four appearances for Triple-A Indianapolis and thrown 5.1 scoreless innings. For a relief group that has spent too much of the season handing over winnable games, that kind of work stands out fast.
Still, the Pirates can’t rush him back just yet. Because Stratton was optioned on June 19, he has to stay in the minors for at least 15 days before he can be recalled to the Major League active roster, unless there’s an injury exception. So even though the case for bringing him back already looks pretty clear, the club has to wait a little longer.
That patience is harder to sell after Tuesday night.
In an 8-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, Brandan Bidois helped drag the bullpen issue right back into focus. He came on after Bubba Chandler and Isaac Mattson, then allowed three earned runs on four hits, including a home run, while recording just two outs. His ERA rose to 6.32, and the inning got so out of hand that the Pirates finished it with position player Tyler Callihan on the mound for the final out.
Bidois isn’t the entire problem, but his outing was a brutal reminder of what Pittsburgh keeps running into: too many relief arms that can’t stop the damage once it starts. The Pirates need pitchers who can absorb innings and keep things from unraveling.
Stratton may not be a rescue mission all by himself, and nobody should pretend otherwise. But after his early work at Indianapolis and the latest bullpen stumble in Pittsburgh, he looks like a pretty obvious next move once that 15-day clock runs out.
If he’s still throwing well, the Pirates should make the call. Bidois’ outing just made that choice a lot easier.
In Other News...
Pirates Outfield Depth Just Took Another Hit At The Worst Time
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Fletcher brought some credibility to that role after seeing time in the majors with Arizona and the White Sox, but the timing worked against the Pirates. With other depth players already being pushed into larger jobs, losing a veteran minor league option only sharpens the pressure on an outfield group that could ill afford another setback. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates May Finally Have To Trade A Top Infield Prospect
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Pittsburghs best path may be to target a controllable reliever who can help beyond this season, even if the cost means moving a premium infield piece and one of the players already crowding the same part of the roster. It is the sort of deadline choice that says as much about where the Pirates think they are as where they hope to be, and it could force them to decide whether protecting future depth matters more than making the present roster sturdier. [Read more 🡒]
Roberto Clementes Legacy Just Reached Another Level For Pirates Fans
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The same auction also underscored how much value remains attached to baseball history beyond the Pirates icon, with a 1948 Leaf Satchel Paige rookie card fetching $184,736. Paiges card rose by more than 16 percent from its previous sale, a reminder that rare vintage pieces tied to the games biggest trailblazers can keep resetting expectations even as collectors watch closely for the next benchmark. [Read more 🡒]