Pirates' Evan Sisk Makes Uniform Number Change
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates had a few players change their number ahead of the 2026 season, including one of their bullpen arms.
Left-handed relief pitcher Evan Sisk changed his number to No. 48 for the Pirates next season, taking over from infielder Enmanuel Valdez.
Valdez, who wore the No. 48 jersey last season, is still with the Pirates and will now wear the No. 47 jersey for the 2026 season
Sisk previously wore the No. 51 jersey in 2025 for the Pirates, taking over from long-time All-Star closer David Bednar, who the Pirates traded to the New York Yankees at the deadline.
Sisk's Time with the Pirates in 2025
Sisk joined the Pirates from the Kansas City Royals, along with first baseman prospect Callan Moss, in a trade for left-handed starting pitcher Bailey Falter on July 31 ahead of the deadline.
He made five appearances at Triple-A Indianapolis, allowing six earned runs over 5.1 innings pitched for a 10.13 ERA, five walks and five strikeouts, before the Pirates recalled him on Aug. 15, sending down right-handed relief pitcher Cam Sanders.
Sisk made four appearances in his first stint for the Pirates, finishing with a 1-1 record, an 8.10 ERA over 3.1 innings pitched, four strikeouts to one walk and one hit batter, a .250 opposing batting average and a 1.20 WHIP.
He threw a scoreless sixth inning vs. the Cubs in the series opener at Wrigley Field on Aug. 15, but hit center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong to leadoff the bottom of the seventh inning. Pirates right-handed pitcher Isaac Mattson would eventually allow Crow-Armstrong to score and Sisk took the earned run.
Sisk re-joined with the Pirates for his second stint this season on Aug. 29, as they recalled him from Triple-A after right-handed relief pitcher Kyle Nicolas went on the Major League Bereavement/Family Emergency List.
He made nine appearances for the Pirates in September, seven of which were scoreless outings, finishing with a 3.38 ERA over eight innings, 10 strikeouts to four walks, a .267 opposing batting average and a 1.50 WHIP.
Sisk gave up a two-run home run in a 4-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Sept. 6 and also an earned run in a 4-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 16, both at PNC Park.
His last appearance came in the 4-3 loss to the Athletics at PNC Park on Sept. 19, striking out two batters over a scoreless inning of relief.
The Pirates sent Sisk back down to the minors on Sept. 23, as they selected the contract of rookie left-haned pitcher Hunter Barco, making room on the 26-man roster.
Sisk finished his 2025 campaign with the Pirates with a 1-1 record in 14 games, a 4.38 ERA over 12 and one/third innings pitched, 14 strikeouts to five walks, a .244 batting average allowed and a 1.30 WHIP.
What Sisk's Role is for the Pirates in 2026
The Pirates need good left-handed relievers next season and have few options, giving Sisk opportunities on the 26-man roster.
Pittsburgh only has two other left-handed pitchers on the 40-man roster along with Gregory Soto, who they signed as a free agent on a one-year, $7.75 million contract, plus Barco, who made just two MLB appearances in 2025.
Sisk had great success with his offspeed pitches in his sweeper and curveball, but struggled with his higher velocity pitches in his sinker and four-seam fastball. His cutter had success, but he threw that much less than his sinker and four-seam fastball.
Pitch | Batting Average Allowed |
|---|---|
Sinker | .286 |
Sweeper | .176 |
Four-Seamer | .357 |
Curveball | .125 |
Cutter | .167 |
The Pirates need him to have a strong season, especially if they don't make many more bullpen additions, so Sisk has a great opportunity to prove he belongs in the major leagues.
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.