Pirates Relief Pitcher Extends Time On Injured List
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates will have one of their relief pitchers spend more time on the Injured List.
The Pirates announced that they transferred right-handed pitcher Justin Lawrence from the 15-day to the 60-day Injured List, as they made room for right-handed pitcher Tanner Rainey on the 40-man roster.
We have selected the contract of RHP Tanner Rainey to the 26-man roster and placed INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa on the 10-day injured list (retro to May 1).
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 3, 2025
RHP Justin Lawrence has been transferred from the 15- to 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster.
Pittsburgh placed Lawrence on the 15-day Injured List, retroactive to April 23, with right elbow inflammation.
Pirates assistant general manager Bryan Stroh said on April 27 that Lawrence will look for a second opinion on his right elbow and that he will miss more than 15 days, according to Greg Macafee of DK Pittsburgh Sports
Lawrence has excelled with the Pirates out of the bullpen so far in 2025, with an 0.79 ERA in 11 appearances and 11.1 innings pitched, allowing just five hits and six walks, while posting 15 strikeouts and an opposing batting average of .139.
He last pitched vs. the Los Angeles Angels in the eighth inning of a 9-3 win on April 22, allowing two hits but no runs and striking out a batter.
The Pirates claimed Lawrence off of Waivers on March 3, after the Colorado Rockies designated him for assignment on March 1. He pitched in six games in spring training, with an 0-2 record and a 7.50 ERA over 6.0 innings of work.
Lawrence was born in Panama, but moved to the United States when he was two years old. He attended First Coast High School in Jacksonville, Fla. and then played baseball in college for Florida Gulf Coast.
The Rockies took him in the 12th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, where he spent the next four full seasons in the minors.
He didn't play at all in 2020, after testing positive for the performance enhancing substance dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, or DHCMT, receiving an 80-game suspension.
The Rockies called him up on April 29, 2021 and spent the next four seasons with the franchise at the MLB level.
His best season came in 2023, as he posted a 4-7 record over a career-high 69 appearances, with a 3.72 ERA in 75.0 innings pitched, 78 strikeouts to 36 walks and holding opposing hitters to a batting average of .235.
Lawrence struggled last season with the Rockies, with a 4-4 record, a 6.49 ERA over 59.2 innings pitched, 45 strikeouts to 33 walks, a WHIP of 1.78 and an opposing batting average of .313.
The Pirates have a few pitchers on the Injured List already, with Lawrence joining fellow relief pitchers in right-hander Dauri Moreta and left-hander Tim Mayza on the 60-day Injured List. They also have starters in right-handed pitcher Jared Jones and Jovan Oviedo on the 60-day Injured List as well.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.