The Pirates had the day off yesterday, but general manager Ben Cherington was busy making a couple of trades.
Cherington acquired 2018 number two overall draft choice Joey Bart from San Francisco in exchange for rookie minor league pitcher Austin Strickland, the Bucs’ 8th round draft pick last year out of the University of Kentucky. The 27-year-old Bart is a catcher who has played in 162 games in four seasons with the Giants, hitting .219 with 11 home runs and 16 RBIs. He has struggled to hit Major League pitching, batting .207 in thirty games last season.
Strickland never appeared in a game in the Pirates’ minor league system.
To make room for Bart on the 40-man roster, pitcher Colin Selby was designated for assignment, and Bart will be added to the 26-man Major League roster to replace Jason Delay, who will go on the injured list. Veteran catcher Yasmani Grandal is also on the injured list with plantar fasciitis and hasn’t played yet this season.
Cherington also sent Altoona pitcher Jackson Wolf back to the San Diego Padres yesterday in exchange for minor league third baseman Kervin Pichardo. The 22-year-old Pichardo was assigned to Altoona. He’s a career .226 hitter in the minors. He hit .257 with ten home runs and 43 RBIs at Class A and AA last season.
Wolf and two other minor leaguers were acquired last year in the trade that sent Rich Hill and Ji Man Choi to the Padres. Wolf was 0-4 with a 4.25 ERA for the Curve in eight starts last year.
The Pirates look to extend their winning streak to six games tonight in Washington.
Greg Brown has a preview.
The weather forecast calls for a 100 percent chance of rain with possible flooding in Washington DC this evening.
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