Pirates bullpen mess makes Hunter Stratton patience even harder

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen has reached the point where even waiting a few days for a logical move feels like too much.

Hunter Stratton hasn't been back in the organization long, but he has already done enough at Triple-A Indianapolis (and Pirates relievers haven't done enough in Pittsburgh) to make fans wonder why he's not already in Pittsburgh. Since being acquired from the Atlanta Braves in the Joey Bart trade roughly two weeks ago, Stratton has appeared in four games for Indianapolis, covering 5.1 scoreless innings.

For a bullpen that has spent far too much of the season turning manageable games into messes, that kind of stability is hard to ignore. The problem is that the Pirates don't have the flexibility to act just yet.

Because Stratton was optioned on June 19, he must remain in the minors for at least 15 days before he can be recalled to the Major League active roster, barring an injury exception. That means fans clamoring for Ben Cherington to bring Stratton back will have to wait a little longer, even if the case for doing so already feels obvious.

Brandan Bidois' rough outing vs Phillies brought Pirates' bullpen mess back to forefront

Pittsburgh's bullpen struggles were once again a focal point in Tuesday's 8-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, when Brandan Bidois entered in relief of Bubba Chandler and Isaac Mattson and allowed three earned runs on four hits, including a home run, while recording just two outs. His ERA climbed to 6.32, and the inning became so lopsided that the Pirates eventually turned to position player Tyler Callihan to get the final out.

Bidois isn't the only reason the Pirates’ relief corps has become such a concern, but his outing was a rough snapshot of the larger issue. Pittsburgh needs more trustworthy arms capable of covering innings without letting games spiral.

Stratton might not be a savior, and it would be unfair to treat him like one. But right now, he looks like a pretty obvious upgrade candidate. He has handled his first handful of outings at Indianapolis exactly the way the Pirates would have hoped, and the Major League bullpen has done very little to quiet the outside noise.

Once Stratton’s 15-day window expires, the move shouldn't require much debate. If he's still throwing well, Pittsburgh should call him up. And if the Pirates need a corresponding move, Bidois has unfortunately made that decision easier.

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