The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Saturday the signing of center fielder Michael A. Taylor to a one-year contract, which a source told TribLive will pay Taylor $4 million this season.
Taylor, 32, is a 10-year major league veteran who won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019 and an AL Gold Glove with the Kansas City Royals in 2021. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-handed hitter spent last season with the Minnesota Twins, batting .220/.279/.442 with 14 doubles, 21 home runs and 51 RBIs.
To make room for Taylor on the 40-man roster, the Pirates placed right-handed reliever Dauri Moreta on the 60-day injured list. Moreta has been sidelined with elbow soreness.
The Pirates also signed right-handed pitcher Domingo German to a minor league contract that a source told TribLive will pay him $1.25 million with performance bonsuses this season with a club option at $2.25 million with performance bonuses in 2025. German received a non-roster invitation to major league camp.
German, 31, was 31-28 with a 4.41 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in six seasons with the New York Yankees. He became the 24th player in major league history to complete a perfect game in an 11-0 win over the Oakland A’s on June 28.
German also has a history of off-field troubles. He was placed on administrative leave in September 2019 amid an investigation of suspected domestic abuse and served an 81-game suspension.
He also was suspended 10 games after being ejected for using an illegal substance while pitching last May, and left the Yankees after a clubhouse confrontation with manager Aaron Boone to voluntarily submit to in-patient treatment for alcohol abuse.
Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.