Pittsburgh Pirates fans are all too familiar with the struggles of the team’s bullpen in 2024. The Pirates’ relief staff finished 27th in MLB with a 4.49 ERA, largely due to one of the highest walk rates in the league. Even David Bednar, typically a reliable closer, had a rough season.
Unfortunately, the Pirates can’t simply buy their way out of bullpen issues. With ownership widely considered among the least willing to spend in MLB, addressing bullpen needs with proven relievers is challenging, as they aren’t exactly cheap, which isn’t ideal for Pittsburgh’s budget.
However, it appears the Pirates managed to find a reliever within their financial reach amid the non-tender frenzy. They executed a trade with the Guardians, acquiring Peter Strzelecki for cash considerations.
Pirates strike trade with Guardians for reliever Peter Strzelecki
While the exact amount of cash sent to Cleveland for Peter Strzelecki isn’t available, we can make educated guesses based on his profile and the Pirates’ usual spending habits. It seems likely that Strzelecki didn’t come with a hefty price tag.
Strzelecki isn’t a completely uninteresting addition to the bullpen for 2025. Though he was recently designated for assignment by the Guardians, he posted a solid 2.31 ERA in 10 big league appearances, even if his Triple-A numbers were less promising (a 5.79 ERA in 44 outings). While he’s not expected to be a high-leverage option, the Pirates could do worse than Strzelecki in middle relief roles.
This move signals the beginning of Pittsburgh’s efforts to reshape its bullpen for 2025. Adding Strzelecki is a decent start, given his demonstrated competence in the majors, but there’s still a lot of work ahead for the Pirates to fully stabilize their relief corps.
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