Fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates are well aware of the difficulties faced by the team’s bullpen in 2024. The Pirates’ relief pitching ranked 27th in Major League Baseball with a 4.49 ERA, largely due to one of the worst walk rates in the league. Even their typically reliable closer, David Bednar, struggled significantly last season.
Unfortunately, the Pirates can’t simply spend their way out of these bullpen issues. Their ownership is considered among the cheapest in MLB, and while dependable relievers are generally not prohibitively expensive, they aren’t exactly cheap either, which is what the Pirates prefer to pay.
However, it appears the Pirates found a reliever within their budget during the non-tender frenzy. They executed a trade with the Guardians for Peter Strzelecki in exchange for cash considerations.
Pirates strike trade with Guardians for reliever Peter Strzelecki. The precise amount of cash sent to Cleveland for Strzelecki is unclear, but it’s reasonable to assume he didn’t come at a steep price based on his profile and the Pirates’ usual spending habits.
Strzelecki could be a valuable addition to the bullpen next season. Although the Guardians recently designated him for assignment, he performed reasonably well in limited major league appearances, posting a 2.31 ERA over 10 games, despite having less impressive numbers in Triple-A (5.79 ERA across 44 appearances). While he may not be a high-leverage option, the Pirates could certainly do worse than Strzelecki for middle relief.
With this move, the Pirates’ bullpen for 2025 is beginning to take shape. Acquiring Strzelecki is a decent start, as he brings a record of competence in the majors, but Pittsburgh has much more work ahead to improve their relief corps.
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