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Amid a flurry of signings on the opening day of the international signing period, the Pittsburgh Pirates also parted with one of their minor league depth pieces earlier this week.
The Pirates released infielder Andrés Alvarez, who played last season for Triple-A Indianapolis, according to the minor ;eague transactions report. A 22nd-round pick by Pittsburgh in the 2019 MLB Draft, Alvarez slashed .271/.360/.417 with six home runs and 35 RBI in 78 games last season with Indianapolis.
Alvarez earned Indianapolis Player of the Month honors in June, slashing .299/.382/.845, while posting two doubles, one triple, two home runs and eight RBI. He will now enter minor league free agency.
Pirates reliever Hunter Stratton provides positive update on injury rehab
When Pirates right-hander Hunter Stratton suffered a nasty knee injury on a freak play when chasing down a loose ball behind the plate in late August, his expected timeline to return to competition was seven to 10 months. The club was cautiously optimistic that he would be ready for spring training, though he might not be back to full health until midway through the 2025 season.
Stratton, who underwent season-ending surgery to repair a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee, posted a video of himself throwing off a mound this week on his personal social media. Considering his projected timetable, that's pretty remarkable.
In late August, Hunter Stratton underwent season-ending surgery to repair a ruptured patella tendon in his left knee. We were that his timetable to return to competition was 7-10 months. Today he posted a video on his instagram story of him throwing off a mound. pic.twitter.com/wZJ6jxoDeN
— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) January 17, 2025
After being non-tendered by the Pirates in November, Stratton inked a minor-league deal with the club earlier this offseason that includes an invite to spring training. However, this latest update provides hope that he will once again be a contributor in Pittsburgh's MLB bullpen in 2025. Last season, Stratton pitched to a 3.58 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP over 37 2/3 innings before his knee injury abruptly ended his season.
Pirates' spring training report dates announced
Stratton and his fellow Pirates pitchers will officially report to spring training in less than a month. MLB announced this week that Pittsburgh's pitchers and catchers will have their first workout in Bradenton, Fla. on Feb. 12 and that the rest of the players will report for the first full team workout on Feb. 18.
The Pirates made a series of minor signings this offseason to shore up their bullpen. Their most significant addition is left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson, who will reportedly have a chance to become a fifth starter as well.
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