Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said on Dec. 10 in an interview on MLB Network that Bart will enter 2025 as the favorite to start at catcher, The Bucco Beat reports. The Pirates acquired Bart shortly after Opening Day and he eventually emerged as the team's primary catcher, slashing .265/.337/.462 with 13 home runs over 280 plate appearances. Endy Rodriguez will be back from elbow surgery and Henry Davis is still around, so Bart will have competition for playing time behind the plate, but he'll enter the season with a leg up for the starting job.
Heavy on Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates news, rumors, and information.
Latest Pirates News Alerts
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said on Dec. 10 in an interview on MLB Network that Bart will enter 2025 as the favorite to start at catcher, The Bucco Beat reports. The Pirates acquired Bart shortly after Opening Day and he eventually emerged as the team's primary catcher, slashing .265/.337/.462 with 13 home runs over 280 plate appearances. Endy Rodriguez will be back from elbow surgery and Henry Davis is still around, so Bart will have competition for playing time behind the plate, but he'll enter the season with a leg up for the starting job.
The Red Sox traded Valdez to the Pirates on Sunday in exchange for minor-league pitcher Joe Vogatsky. Valdez was DFA'd by Boston on Wednesday, but he'll get a fresh start in the Pirates organization. Valdez slashed .214/.270/.363 with six home runs in 223 plate appearances in 2024 while primarily playing second base.
Fulmer signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates on Friday and received an invitation to spring training, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports. Over a career-high 86.2 innings with the Angels last season, Fulmer logged a 4.15 ERA and 1.40 WHIP across 37 appearances (eight starts). If the right-hander is able to offer similar production during spring training, he could have a decent shot at making the Pirates' Opening Day roster, though it's unclear if Pittsburgh will prefer to use him as a starter or out of the bullpen.
The Pirates signed Rainey to a minor-league contract Dec. 6 that includes an invitation to spring training. Rainey was non-tendered by the Nationals in November after posting a 4.76 ERA and 44:29 K:BB over 51 innings in 2024 in his first year back from Tommy John surgery. The reliever's stuff hasn't looked the same post-op, but he's a fine gamble on a non-roster deal in hopes that he can rediscover it.
The Pirates signed Solak to a minor-league contract Dec. 6. Solak, who turns 30 in January, slashed .311/.406/.446 with nine home runs and 10 stolen bases over 90 games at Triple-A Tacoma in the Mariners organization in 2024. He has a career .252/.327/.372 batting line in parts of five major-league seasons.
The Guardians traded Horwitz to the Pirates on Tuesday in exchange for Josh Hartle, Luis Ortiz and Michael Kennedy, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. Just hours after being traded to Cleveland in the deal that sent Andres Gimenez to Toronto, Horwitz will now land in Pittsburgh instead while the Guardians add to their organizational depth. The 27-year-old has covered first and second base during his time in the big leagues and should have no problem starting regularly in a Pirates infield that lacks impact bats. Moving to Pittsburgh will also reunite him with hitting coach Matt Hague, under whom Horwitz posted a .790 OPS in 2024.
Manager Derek Shelton said Monday that Rodriguez (elbow) is expected to be fully healthy for the start of spring training, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Rodriguez was sidelined for the entire 2024 campaign after undergoing surgery to repair the UCL and flexor tendon in his right elbow in December of 2023. He was able to progress in his recovery enough to go on a rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona in September, and it appears the 24-year-old right-hander will be able to report for the start of spring training. Rodriguez played in 57 regular-season games for the Pirates in 20223 and finished with a slash line of .220/.284/.328 with three home runs and 13 RBI over 204 plate appearances.
Stratton (knee) signed a minor-league deal with the Pirates on Monday, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Stratton was with the Pirates in 2024 and threw 37.2 innings out of the bullpen while maintaining a 3.58 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. His recovery from knee surgery could spill over into the regular season, but he's likely to contribute as a reliever for the big-league club at some point in 2025.
Unlock the latest Pittsburgh Pirates news — direct to your inbox.
More From Heavy on Pirates
-
Paul Skenes Reflects on Setting Pirates Record: ‘Pretty Dang Cool’
Paul Skenes set the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie record for strikeouts in a season Monday night and he is not done yet.
-
Jimmy Rollins Doesn’t Want Pirates to Shut Down Ace Pitcher
-
MLB All-Star: Pirates’ Paul Skenes Has an Eye-Opening Salary
-
Paul Skenes Projected for ‘Historic’ $150 Million Pirates Contract Offer
-
Pirates P Paul Skenes Draws Praise After Grinding Through Start
-
Pirates’ Oneil Cruz Shatters 2 Statcast Records in Win Over Giants
Only four players have ever hit a ball 120 mph or more. The Pirates' Oneil Cruz did it twice in the same game on Tuesday.
-
Paul Skenes Scheduled to Make Highly Anticipated Major League Debut
-
Olivia Dunne Eagerly Awaits MLB Debut of Phenom Boyfriend Paul Skenes
-
Pirates Sign Mitch Keller to 5-Year Extension: Report
-
Pirates Sign Former 1st-Round Catcher for Depth Behind Henry Davis
-
Pirates Retool Bullpen With $10.5 Million 7-Time All-Star
The Pittsburgh Pirates have secured left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman on a one-year, $10.5 million deal.
-
Fans Praise Andrew McCutchen’s Meme-Tastic Return to Pirates