The Pirates have brought Dominic Fletcher back on a minor league deal, according to MLB.com’s transactions tracker, and the outfielder was already back in Triple-A Indianapolis’ lineup on Friday.
Fletcher had opted out of his contract on July 1, as reported by Robert Murray of FanSided, and Pittsburgh chose not to put him on the major league roster. That sent him back onto the market briefly before he returned to the organization about two weeks later.
The 28-year-old has spent most of this season making noise at Indianapolis. Through 42 games heading into Saturday, he’s hitting .288/.379/.511 with eight home runs and two stolen bases. He’s mostly handled center field, though he’s also logged plenty of time in the corners.
Fletcher’s big-league track record is still a work in progress. He appeared in 12 games for the White Sox last season and hit .219 with a home run and a steal in 34 plate appearances. Chicago used him at all three outfield spots during that stint, and he wound up spending most of the year at Triple-A before settling for another minor league deal heading into 2026.
Even with the bat lagging behind, Fletcher has offered value with his glove. He has 13 Defensive Runs Saved across 872 2/3 career innings in the outfield, with most of that work coming in right field.
That defensive profile could matter for Pittsburgh, especially with injured star Oneil Cruz struggling in center field. Still, the Pirates are in decent shape overall on the grass, with the club ranking in the top 10 in OPS at all three outfield spots.
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