The Pittsburgh Pirates made several roster moves before Wednesday’s game, with one involving a player who returned to the starting lineup and another aimed to provide depth at catcher.
The Pirates activated 2024 NL Gold Glove utility infielder Jared Triolo from the 10-day injured list following a rehab assignment and will start at second base against the Washington Nationals. Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Triolo adds “tremendous versatility.”
“The fact that he can play short, he can play second, he can play third, he can play first — we played him in the outfield during spring training,” Shelton said. “I think having that versatility and being able to bounce around is what he really adds to us.”
Triolo, who was 1 for 17 (.059) in his first six games for the Pirates, went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and hit a home run in his first at-bat Tuesday night for Triple-A Indianapolis.
“It gave me a lot of confidence, obviously,” Triolo said. “I hadn’t hit a ball in a week or seen live pitching in a week.
To make room on the roster for Triolo, the Pirates optioned middle infielder Tsung-Che Cheng to Indianapolis. The team’s No. 17 prospect, Cheng went 0 for 7 in three games with the Pirates, including two starts at shortstop.
With catcher/first baseman Endy Rodriguez on the 10-day injured list after requiring five stitches on his right index finger after a ball ricocheted off his right hand Monday, the Pirates also acquired 31-year-old catcher Brett Sullivan from the San Diego Padres in exchange for outfielder Bryce Johnson and cash considerations.
Joey Bart was removed from the first inning of Friday’s game at Cincinnati when his back locked up and is available in emergency situations. The Pirates recalled Henry Davis Saturday and added Abrahan Gutierrez to their taxi squad Tuesday, leaving them with a need for another catcher at Indianapolis.
Sullivan, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound left-handed hitter, has a career .206/.243/.292 slash line with three doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs in 40 games with the Padres over the 2023 and ’24 seasons. He was batting .231 with a double, a triple and nine RBIs in 10 games at Triple-A El Paso this season. Primarily a catcher, Sullivan also has played first base, third base and left field in the minors.